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Venous thromboembolism CMO press release

New report will help reduce VENOUSTHROMBOEMBOLISM (VTE) IN HOSPITALS

Every hospital patient should have their own risk assessment for VTE that will improve patient safety and help save thousands of lives each year, says an expert working group whose report was launched by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) today.

Venousthromboembolism (VTE) is a set of complications that includes blood clots in veins that can break off (Deep Vein thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism). In England around 25,000 people a year die from VTE in hospitals alone.

The CMO asked an expert group to look at VTE in hospitalised patients and how VTE could be prevented to save lives. The Group has now reported with its recommendations.

Sir Liam Donaldson, Chief Medical Officer said:

"VTE has been seen as a Cinderella issue for too long. This report enables clinicians to make the best choices for their patients and to ensure that we make real progress in saving thousands of lives every year".

It is clear from the expert group's report that introducing a VTE risk assessment for all patients on admission has the potential to save thousands of lives every year. We have therefore established an implementation working group which will develop a national risk assessment tool, and will also provide leadership both within the NHS and the wider healthcare sector in order to assess what needs to be done to ensure that a VTE risk assessment of every patient on admission to hospital becomes a reality.

VTE is an international problem. This country is a pioneer in this area and can also provide leadership to other nations on this matter.

Lord Hunt said:

"Patient safety is my top priority. I have asked the implementation group to report back to me regularly on their progress in this vital work. We must do everything we can to ensure that patients are not placed at unnecessary risk from VTE."

How common and serious is VTE (DVT and PE)?

VTE causes around 32,000 deaths each year in the UK - although precise numbers are difficult to gauge, because many deaths are not followed up by post mortem.

Studies show that

• one third of people who have VTE die within 30 days
• one fifth (20%) suffer sudden death due to pulmonary embolism
• about 30% of surviving patients develop recurrent venous thromboembolism within 10 years
• within one year of DVT, post-phlebitic syndrome, a chronic and potentially disabling condition, is established in up to 50% of patients
• 30% of these people may have severe complications such as venous ulceration or debilitating pain

VTE occurs in up to 1.83 patients per 1,000 population each year