Abstract
Nearly every patient entering a critical care unit is at risk for acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and its most devastating sequela, pulmonary embolism (PE). Although the exact incidence is unknown, PE is one of the leading causes of mortality in hospitalized patients, causing more than 50 000 deaths each year. Several methods of DVT prophylaxis have been proven safe and effective in other high-risk patients (Table 1); however, there is little consensus on the best method of prophylaxis for patients with neurological diseases (acute stroke, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and other neuromuscular diseases) and those undergoing neurosurgical procedures. The following is a brief review of the mechanisms, risk factors, and methods of DVT prophylaxis as they pertain to these patients.
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© 1994 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
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De Georgia, M.A., Zimmermann, R., Del Zoppo, G.J., Bleck, T.P. (1994). Prophylaxis of Deep Venous Thrombosis. In: Hacke, W., Hanley, D.F., Einhäupl, K.M., Bleck, T.P., Diringer, M.N., Ropper, A.H. (eds) Neurocritical Care. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-87602-8_14
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