Venous thromboembolism (VTE) or blood clots are a common feature of advanced disease, occurring in approximately 50% of palliative care inpatients. Whilst the presentation, diagnosis and management of VTE within general medicine is well established, its management within the palliative care setting is less so. This is made more difficult by the clinical presentation often being masked by other palliative care symptoms, and the symptoms being consistent with other conditions; diagnosis is therefore underappreciated, and the ...
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) or blood clots are a common feature of advanced disease, occurring in approximately 50% of palliative care inpatients. Whilst the presentation, diagnosis and management of VTE within general medicine is well established, its management within the palliative care setting is less so. This is made more difficult by the clinical presentation often being masked by other palliative care symptoms, and the symptoms being consistent with other conditions; diagnosis is therefore underappreciated, and the condition difficult to manage. This is a practical guide to those challenges increasingly faced by healthcare professionals managing VTE in advanced disease. It covers epidemiology and pathogenesis, and appraises the current evidence informing the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of VTE, in both malignant and non-malignant disease.
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