Activity Content
Anticoagulant therapy plays a critical role in managing patients at risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE), which is a substantial cause of morbidity and mortality in surgical patients in the United States despite the availability of evidence-based guidelines for thromboprophylaxis. The shortcomings of currently available anticoagulants and potential for patient harm have led to quality improvement initiatives to improve the use of these agents and research to develop agents with improved efficacy and safety profiles.
In this educational activity, the current state of VTE prophylaxis will be discussed, including the incidence, risk factors, clinical consequences, and impact on use of health care resources. Evidence-based guidelines regarding the primary prevention of VTE in high-risk patient populations will be reviewed. Changes in health-system pharmacy practice intended to improve the safety and effectiveness of anticoagulants and reduce the risk of VTE in surgical patients (e.g., the Surgical Care Improvement Project [SCIP], The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goal 03.05.01 for reducing patient harm from anticoagulants) also will be addressed. Emerging anticoagulant agents and technologies for VTE prophylaxis will be described. Translating the findings from clinical trials into clinical practice and pearls for preventing VTE in complex clinical scenarios will be explored. The audience will be invited to participate in a panel discussion about formulary management considerations, quality improvement initiatives, and controversies related to anticoagulant use in health systems.