Effectivity of Thromboprophylxie in Dakar’s Medical Areas

Abstract

Introduction: Venous thromboembolic disease (VTE) is a real public health problem worldwide. The practice guide produced periodically by the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP) has become the international standard. However, thromboprophylaxis remains underused. Methodology: We carried out a descriptive cross-sectional study. The goals of that study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the practice of thromboprophylaxis in the various medical services of the Dakar Public Hospitals. Our investigation was conducted for two weeks in September 2017. Results: 160 patients were included (81 men and 79 women) in our series, with male predominance: sex ratio of 1.02. The average age was 48. Infectious pathologies were the predominant clinical pictures (35% of cases). The thromboembolic risk factors (RF) mainly found were represented by prolonged bed rest, followed by cardiovascular (RF): age greater than 60 years (31.2%), hypertension (8.8%), obesity (4.4%) and diabetes (3.8%). The thromboembolic RF of patients hospitalized in these medical services has been evaluated empirically. We noted a lack of use of the VTE risk assessment scores. 40.9% (n = 56) of patients received overall VTE prophylaxis, a rate corresponding to almost half of those at risk (51.4%). This result reflects an under-use of thromboprophylaxis in the Dakar medical environment and a low level of adherence by practicians to the guidelines on VTE prophylaxis. Conclusion: It is therefore recommended to develop a national strategy to assess patients at risk for VTE, as well as measures to educate and inform doctors about the appropriate forms of thromboprophylaxis.