Introducing a specialist drug Kardex can significantly change prescribing practices for VTE in cancer patients

Abstract

We read with interest the results of the ENDORSE Study 1 . This study clearly demonstrated a high prevalence of risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE) and a low rate of prophylaxis use, particularly in medical patients. Of those at-risk medical and surgical patients with no contraindication to VTE prophylaxis, overall 57% received recommended VTE prophylaxis, with 64% surgical and 47% medical patients, receiving the recommended prophylaxis, respectively. We note that with regard to risk factors present prior to admission, active malignancy was an issue in only 6.7% (n=19) of the patients included in the study, and as inpatients only 2 patients (0.7%) underwent cancer therapy. As such, cancer patients are perhaps underrepresented in this cohort. Cancer is a well-known risk factor for the development of VTE, and VTE is a common and life-threatening condition in cancer patients, resulting in a shorter life expectancy than either cancer patients without VTE or noncancer patients with VTE 2,3 . Effective thromboprophylaxis reduces the risk for VTE and improves outcomes.