PRESS RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

4 SIMPLE QUESTIONS THAT COULD SAVE A LIFE

Thousands of people die each year from blood clots acquired in hospital, many of these deaths are preventable and some simple measures can greatly reduce the risk.

Theatre staff from the RoyalGwentHospital will launch a campaign to inform the public about the risks associated with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) which is a clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg.

Just being admitted to hospital with an illness carries a 15% chance of a DVT and having surgery on your leg such as a hip replacement without having preventative measures increases the chances to 50%.

The good news is that most DVT can be prevented safely and effectively with some simple exercises, leg stockings and small daily doses of blood thinners.

Dr Simon Noble, Medical Director of Lifeblood in Wales said:

“It is vital that all patients going into hospital ask to be risk-assessed for DVT. It is often clinically silent and the public can confuse their symptoms with less serious conditions.

“It is a tragedy that thousands of people die from blood clots; urgent action to stem the number of deaths from hospital-acquired DVT is needed. DVT kills five times more people than MRSA and C.difficile.

Encouraging progress is being made across Wales to tackle this preventable killer; part of the 1000 Lives Campaign is focussed on preventing hospital acquired DVT and the launch of the All Wales DVT Risk Assessment Tool at the end of the year will ensure patients receive the same level of DVT prevention, wherever they are treated.

I’m sure that this campaign in the RoyalGwentHospital will make the public more aware and will make them ask questions of the medical team if they are admitted into hospital”

Staff from theatres in the RoyalGwentHospital, with a member of staff dressed in a blood clot costume, will be at a stand in the Belle Vue Restaurant on Thursday 8th October. They will also visit a number of wards to give out information to patients and visitors.

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Note

Lifeblood advises that if you’re entering hospital you should be aware of the methods of prevention, especially if you aren’t assessed for risk of DVT. All you need to do is simply ask these questions to the medical team before admission.

  • What is the risk of deep vein thrombosis during my stay, with and without appropriate prevention?
  • Do I need and will I be measured and fitted with anti-embolism stockings for use during bed rest?
  • Should I receive blood thinners?
  • Does the hospital have ultrasound facilities on site to diagnose a deep vein thrombosis should I develop one?

Further information is available from

A leaflet called ‘Preventing a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in hospital’ was launched in Wales during May.