Preventing venous thromboembolism in acute stroke: guideline review

Abstract

Following a diagnosis of stroke, patients are at risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE). Standard preventative measures cannot be routinely undertaken due to the risk of bleeding following an acute stroke. In 2010, VTE prevention was named a national priority for patient safety in England. Since then, hospitals have strived to provide the highest quality of VTE prevention care for patients, using evidence-based guidelines and standards. Following acute stroke, the guidelines available to clinicians vary widely and there is debate over how safe thromboprophylaxis is. The aim here is to review the most commonly adhered to guidelines and the research used to create them.