All hospital patients should have their clot risk assessed

Venous thromboembolisms (VTE) kill more UK hospital patients than breast cancer, HIV/Aids and traffic accidents combined, experts estimate.

Up to 10% of all hospital deaths may be down to the condition, yet two-thirds of those at risk do not get preventative treatments, data suggest.

The advice comes from an expert group set up by the Chief Medical Officer.

Action plan

The Commons Health Committee raised concerns over clot prevention for NHS patients back in 2005.

Clots most commonly form in the deep veins of the legs. These are known as DVT (deep vein thrombosis). These clots can be fatal if parts break off and lodge in small vessels of the lungs.

This condition, called pulmonary embolism, kills in about a third of untreated cases.

Patients who have recently had surgery are particularly at risk. In England around 25,000 people a year die from VTE in hospitals alone.

But the clots are easy to prevent using simple measures, such as blood-thinning drugs like heparin and surgical stockings.

DVT risk factors Reduced mobility Surgery Oral contraceptive pill Infection Obesity Pregnancy Cancer Heart/circulation problems

An implementation working group is developing a system to help doctors and nurses spot which patients need clot prevention.

This could include a DVT "tick sheet" attached to drug charts to be compiled for all patients on admission, for example.

Patients who are likely to be in hospital for longer than four days and who have reduced mobility and other medical conditions that make clots more likely should be treated, experts generally recommend.

The government's drugs and treatments watchdog, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), is due to publish official guidance on the issue next week.

Sir Liam said: "VTE has been seen as a Cinderella issue for too long. This report enables clinicians to make the best choices for their patients and to ensure that we make real progress in saving thousands of lives every year."

Emeritus Professor Vijay Kakkar of the Thrombosis Research Institute said: "These measures will ensure all patients at risk can be recognised and protected."