VTE/PE Flashcards
Why is VTE and PE so important?
VTE is a major cause of morbidity & mortality
-more deaths than breast cancer, HIV, and vehicle accidents combined
-50% attributed to hospitalization
10% of hospital deaths due to PE
average cost per VTE=$10k-$30k
affects approximately 100,000 Canadians/yr
True or false: VTE treatment and prophylaxis is the same as atrial fibrillation or secondary prevention of MI/stroke
false
not the same
Provide some characteristics of veins.
returns blood to the heart for re-oxygenation
thinner walled than arteries
elastic (variably widens as blood passes through)
lower shear rate than arteries
one-way valves close to prevent backflow (damage=pooling)
Differentiate between a venous thrombus and an arterial thrombus.
venous thrombus
-formed without damaging vessel wall
-held together mostly by fibrin, less platelet
-leads to VTE (DVT/PE)
arterial thrombus
-formed from rupture of atherosclerotic plaque
-held together by mostly platelets, less fibrin
-leads to ACS, stroke, or PAD
What is a venous thromboembolism?
results from clot formation within venous circulation
mainly develops in lower extremities
-majority in calf veins
-minority in arms, brain, GI tract, liver
After a venous thrombus is formed, what are some possibilities that could occur next?
lyse
obstruct venous circulation
embolize
combination of the above
Briefly describe the physiology of coagulation.
central to the coagulation is the generation of thrombin
-factor IIa
thrombin is made from prothrombin by factor Xa
prothrombin–>thrombin–>fibrinogen–>fibrin clot
What is Virchows triad?
risk factors for VTE
-stasis
-vessel wall injury
-hypercoagulability
Describe circulatory stasis as a risk factor for VTE.
bed rest/immobility (prolonged)
heart failure (class III-IV)
varicose veins (controversial)
atrial fibrillation
Describe vascular damage as a risk factor for VTE.
previous VTE
bacterial infection (sepsis)
prosthetic implants
peripheral vascular disease
trauma
surgery (mainly hips and knees)
Describe hypercoagulability as a risk factor for VTE.
medications
use of oral contraceptives
malignancy
inherited thrombophilias (factor V leiden gene)
advanced age >60 (esp >75)
obesity (esp >50)
protein C or S deficiency
smoking
Describe pregnancy as a risk factor for VTE.
5-10x increase during pregnancy
15-35x increase during early postpartum (6-12wks)
What are some medications that increase the risk for VTE?
estrogen
-CHC has RR of 2 but ARI is 0.04% and NNH is 2500
SERMS (tamoxifen/raloxifen)
chemotherapy
older antipsychotics
erythropoeitin
What is the clinical presentation of VTE?
often asymptomatic
symptoms are often non-specific
-diagnosis is difficult
-requires assessment of risk factors and lab/imaging
What are the symptoms of DVT?
leg pain (90%)
tenderness
ankle edema
calf swelling
dilated veins
dusky discolouration
What are the symptoms of PE?
sudden, unexplained SoB
tachypnea
tachycardia
unexplained chest pain/discomfort
cough
hemoptysis
fever
cyanosis
syncope
sense of impending doom
What are the complications of VTE?
recurrence rates are high
post-thrombotic syndrome
venous ulcers
chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
Describe PTS as a complication of VTE.
sx: chronic pain, edema, fatigue, and leg ulcers
20-50% of DVT sufferers will develop within 3-6mo
possible treatment: compression stockings
-ankle to knee
-30 to 40mmHg at ankle at onset of DVT
-may decrease incidence of PTS
Describe venous skin ulcers as a complication of VTE.
results from venous insufficiency, leading to pooling of blood
major cause of chronic wounds
lack of proper blood flow
Describe CTEPH as a complication of VTE.
can occur after a PE
causes scarring in lungs
-narrows the arteries and leads to a permanent increase in pulmonary blood pressure, may lead to right-side HF
requires anti-coagulation for life
What are the ways that VTE is diagnosed?
lab tests
-D dimer increase
-ESR and WBC count increase
clinical prediction score
-Wells criteria
imaging
-compression, ultrasonography
-CT scan
-ventilation/perfusion scan
What are the goals of therapy for VTE?
prevent initial VTE
resolution of signs and symptoms
prevention of extension of VTE (prevention of PE in pts with DVT)
prevention of hemodynamic collapse and/or death
prevention of recurrence of VTE in select patients
prevent the development of CTEPH or PTS
reduce the risk of adverse effects from pharm treatment
What is PT?
prothrombin time
-measures the extrinsic and common pathway for coagulation (factor 10, 5, 7, 2)
-tests heparin
What is aPTT?
activated partial thromboplastin time
-measures the intrinsic and common pathways of coagulation
-longer time means less clotting
-tests heparin, not for LMWH
What does anti-Xa activity test for?
tests LMWH and heparin
What is the INR?
international normalized ratio
-standard measure of anticoagulant activity of warfarin
-only validated for warfarin, other anticoags will change it but does not accurately reflect it
-PT/PT reference
What is the difference between PT and aPTT?
both measure the intrinsic and common pathways but aPTT uses an activator to speed up clotting time, creating a narrower reference range to aim for (more sensitive)
What are the challenges of preventing and treating VTEs?
precise dosing of anticoagulants
monitoring properly
balance bleed risk vs clotting risk
bleeding is the predominant adverse event
-tends to increase with the intensity and duration of therapy
potential drug interactions
drug/disease interactions
patient issues: compliance, administration
clinician assessment and appropriate prophylaxis
What are the drugs used for VTE?
heparin
low molecular weight heparin
heparinoids (danaparoid)
glycosaminoglycan heparinoid (fondaparinux)
direct thrombin inhibitor (argatroban)
vitamin K antagonist (warfarin)
direct oral anticoagulants
What is the MOA of unfractionated heparin?
catalyzes antithrombin–>inactivates factor IIa and IXa, Xa, XIa & XIIa
prolongs aPTT
cannot bind to thrombin already in a clot
also binds to cells and other plasma proteins (unpredictable PK/PD)
What is the onset of effect for UFH?
IV: beings working immediately
SC: 30-60min
What is the duration of effect for UFH?
t1/2=1-2hrs
IV: continuous infusion to ensure level response
SC: 8hrs
What are the contraindications for UFH?
not absolute CI
active bleeding or conditions that increase bleed risk
-hemorrhagic stroke, severe HTN, active gastric ulcer, haemophilia
injuries and operations to brain, spinal cord, eyes/ears
severe thrombocytopenia
prior occurrence of HIT (this is an absolute CI)
Describe the dosing and administration of UFH.
IV or SC only
initial doses calculated using body weight
prophylaxis: 5000 units SC q8-12h
treatment:
-IV: LD 80 units/kg over 10min; then 18 units/kg/hr
-SC: 250 units/kg q12h
both: adjust dose until aPTT is 1.5-2.5x baseline
Does UFH have a wide or narrow therapeutic window?
narrow
How long is heparin used?
<7 days
-simultaneously given with warfarin
-discontinued once warfarin reaches target INR for 1-2 days
What are the common adverse effects of heparin?
minor bleeds
injection site reactions if subcut
transient, mild liver enzyme increase
What are the serious adverse effects of heparin?
heparin induced thrombocytopenia
major bleeds
hyperkalemia
skin necrosis
BMD decrease
What is the antidote to major bleeds from heparin?
IV protamine sulfate
-1 to 1.5mg neutralizes 100U of heparin if heparin was in last 29 minutes
-0.5 to 0.75mg neutralizes 100U of heparin if heparin was in last 30-120 minutes
-0.25 to 0.375mg neutralize 100U of heparin if heparin was given over 120 minutes ago
Describe heparin induced thrombocytopenia.
immune-mediated platelet aggregation reaction
-causes platelets to activate and stick together
-increased thrombotic and bleed risk
onset typically occurs 5-10 days after heparin initiation
depends on prior heparin exposure
Describe the 4T score.
thrombocytopenia:
-2 pts=>50% fall or nadir >20 x 10 to the 9/L
-1 pt=30-50% fall or nadir 10-19 x 10 to the 9/L
-0 pts=<30% fall or nadir <10 x 10 to the 9/L
timing of the decrease in platelet count:
-2 pts=days 5-10, or < day 1 with recent heparin (past 30d)
-1 pt=>day 10 or timing unclear, or <1 day if heparin exposure within past 30-100d
-0 pts=<day 4 (no recent heparin)
thrombosis or other sequelae:
-2 pts=proven thrombosis, skin necrosis, or systemic rxn
-1 pt=progressive, recurrent, or silent thrombosis, skin lesions
-0 pts=none
other causes of thrombocytopenia:
-2 pts=none evident
-1 pt=possible
-0 pts=definite
0-3 points= low probability (risk of HIT <1%)
4-5 points=intermediate probability (risk of HIT ~10%)
6-8 points=high probability (risk of HIT ~50%)
What is the treatment of HIT?
discontinue all sources of heparin
begin alternate anticoagulation
-warfarin initially unsuitable
-argatroban, fondaparinux, danaparoid, bivalirudin
-transition to warfarin once platelets restored and minimum x 5 days
-DOACs in stable pts with medium risk of bleed (rivaroxaban 15mg BID until platelets restored, 15mg BID x 21d then 20mg daily thereafter)
What are the drug interactions of UFH?
ACE/ARBs (hyperkalemia)
antiplatelets (increased anti-coagulation)
ASA/NSAIDs (increased anti-coagulation)
estrogens/progestins (pro-thrombotic)
herbs (194 have anti-coagulant properties)
potassium salts/sparing diuretics
Describe monitoring for UFH.
effectiveness
-must monitor aPTT (VTE tx, not prophylaxis)
-see validated nomograms
safety
-platelet count (get baseline if possible, if >4d of therapy then check qod until finished, if prev UFH exposure check at baseline and q24h)
-Hgb and hematocrit (baseline and q3d)
-potassium (only if high risk of hyperkalemia; baseline & q3d x 1wk)
Which are examples of low-molecular weight heparin?
enoxaparin
dalteparin
tinzaparin
nadroparin
all appear equal clinically in safety and efficacy
not interchangeable
different dosing regimens
What is the MOA of LMWH?
same as heparin but higher affinity for Xa
can affect aPTT
cannot bind to thrombin already in a clot
more predictable PK compared to UFH (allows for fixed doses and adjustment based on labs)
Which LMWH is of choice in the SHA?
tinzaparin
-prophylaxis and treatment of VTE
-dialysis line patency
enoxaparain used for acute ACS
What are the contraindications of LMWH?
same as UFH