BMJ  2006;332 (11 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7541.0-a

Low molecular weight heparin preferred in palliative care

Palliative care inpatients at risk of thromboembolism find low molecular weight heparin more acceptable than wearing antiembolic stockings. In a qualitative study (p 577), Noble and colleagues interviewed 28 patients with advanced malignancy who were receiving low molecular weight heparin. Many of them thought that thrombophylaxis had a positive effect on their quality of life and gave them a feeling of safety. Thromboprophylaxis guidelines are urgently needed for palliative care inpatient units and hospices, say the authors.


Figure 1
 Credit: TIM EVANS/SPL

 


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Complore Complore   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us   Add to Digg Digg   Add to Reddit Reddit   Add to StumbleUpon StumbleUpon   Add to Technorati Technorati    What's this?

Relevant Article

Acceptability of low molecular weight heparin thromboprophylaxis for inpatients receiving palliative care: qualitative study
S I R Noble, A Nelson, C Turner, and I G Finlay
BMJ 2006 332: 577-580. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Access jobs at BMJ Careers
Whats new online at Student BMJ