The Practice of Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in the Major Trauma Patient

Abstract

Clinicians are reticent to begin timely VTE prophylaxis in critically injured patients. Patients are without VTE prophylaxis for half of all days within the first week of admission and this delay in the initiation of prophylaxis is associated with a threefold greater risk of VTE. The relative risks and benefits of early VTE prophylaxis need to be defined to better direct practice in this high-risk population.