CONTEXT: The prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis is being underused, although this disease be the most common cause of intrahospital mortality that could be prevented. Thus, it is relevant to answer the research question: what is the frequency of use of prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis among clinical hospitalized patients? OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of use of prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis in clinical hospitalized patients. The research hypothesis was 20%. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Hospital Geral do Estado Dr. Osvaldo Brandão Vilela, Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil. Sample: Clinical hospitalized patients were included. Patients under 18 years-old, pregnant women and those admitted with less than 72 hours of hospitalization were excluded. Primary variable: the frequency of use of prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis. Secondary variable: the frequency of physical and pharmacological methods to prevent deep venous thrombosis. Statistical Methods: The sample size was 246 individuals (proportion=20%, absolute precision=5%, significance level=5%). The statistical analysis was performed using qui-square test and 95% confidence interval. RESULTS: The frequency of using prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis was 33% (80/246; CI95% 27 to 38). The frequency of using physical methods to prevent deep venous thrombosis was 17% (41/246; CI95% 12 to 21) and the frequency of using pharmacological methods was 26% (64/246;CI95% 21 to 31). CONCLUSION: The frequency of use of prophylaxis to deep venous thrombosis among clinical hospitalized patients was 33%.
Venous thrombosis; disease prevention; heparin
