All patients, without exception, should be assessed on admission to hospital for their risk of developing venous thromboembolism, says new guidance from the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).

An estimated 25 000 people in the United Kingdom die from preventable hospital acquired venous thromboembolism every year. A UK survey indicated that 71% of patients who were assessed as being at medium or high risk of developing deep vein thrombosis did not receive any form of mechanical or pharmacological prophylaxis.

Launching the guidance, Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said, “Measures to prevent venous thromboembolism have been inconsistently applied over the years.”

The new guideline covers all patients who are admitted to hospital and replaces the previous 2007 guideline, …