Current guidelines recommend initiating venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in trauma patients within 48 hours, but a new study suggests that starting chemoprophylaxis within the first 24 hours is more effective in reducing the risk of VTE. The study, presented by Jason Hecht, PharmD, at the 2020 virtual annual meeting of the American Society for the Surgery of Trauma, analyzed patient data from 34 trauma centers and found that earlier initiation of prophylaxis led to decreased VTE events and mortality. Dr. Hecht emphasized the importance of balancing the risk of bleeding with the risk of clotting and suggested that future studies should further investigate the safety and efficacy of early chemoprophylaxis.
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VTE Prophylaxis in Trauma Patients: Early Initiation Saves Lives
