Emerging concepts in thromboprophylaxis

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), comprising pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT), is a common and potentially fatal disease. Since it is frequently asymptomatic, prevention is the most effective means to reduce morbidity and mortality. Although thromboprophylaxis is recommended in patients undergoing general and orthopaedic surgery and those with trauma, acute myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke, it is still significantly underused [1–3]. Reasons for not using prophylaxis include lack of awareness among clinicians, difficulties in determining when and how prophylaxis should be administered, identification of high-risk patients and insufficient data on the comparative efficacy of prophylactic regimens [2,3]. The objectives of this presentation are to examine the issues and challenges in the use of thromboprophylaxis, and to discuss the role of low molecular heparins (LMWHs) in the prevention of VTE. Benefits of thromboprophylaxis with low molecular weight heparins