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Replies to #58450 on Biotech Values
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iwfal

01/31/08 9:54 PM

#58453 RE: DewDiligence #58450

Venous Thromboembolism Is a Big, Big Problem

It actually is a surprisingly big problem that gets little notice. Multiple studies of autopsies have shown that 3-5% of autopsies show the cause of death as pulmonary embolism. And it is about the same rate whether the patient died in a hospital or died elsewhere - so it is by no means exclusively hospital related.

Obviously the set of patients autopsied is the set where they didn't die of obvious causes (e.g. cancer or treatment for stroke). But still that is a much bigger percentage than I expected at around 2% (WAG) of all deaths being pulmonary embolism. It isn't heart attack or stroke - but it would be bigger than, for instance, prostate cancer and about the same size as breast cancer.


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xrymd

02/01/08 6:34 AM

#58469 RE: DewDiligence #58450

I have seen some huge post surgical bleeds in patients getting post op VTE prophyaxis. Several of which contributed to the patient slowly circling the drain. There is no free lunch in medicine.