Describing current practices of pharmacist-driven dose adjustment of prophylactic enoxaparin in medically-ill, obese patients Sara Catherine Pearson, Laura Bullock, Jennifer Mendez, Robert Moye University of Tennessee Medical Center - Knoxville - Knoxville, TN
Background/Purpose: Dosing recommendations for enoxaparin do not provide guidance on dose adjustment in patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 kg/m2. In the absence of clear dosing recommendations, pharmacists must rely on existing data in primary literature on which to base dose adjustments. This study aims to describe the practices of pharmacists at an academic medical center for adjusting doses of prophylactic enoxaparin in this challenging clinical situation.
Methodology: This is a cross-sectional study of medically-ill patients, age 18 years and older with class III obesity who received venous thromboembolism prophylaxis (VTE) with enoxaparin at this institution. Patients are included if they are at least 18 years of age, have a body mass index greater than or equal to 40 kg/m2, and received enoxaparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis during their admission. The primary objective is to describe the prevalence of enoxaparin dose adjustment. Secondary outcomes are prevalence of clinically relevant bleeding, prevalence of venous thromboembolism, length of stay, rates of thirty day readmission and average enoxaparin dose adjustment.
Results: To be presented.
Conclusions: To be presented.
Presentation Objective: Describe the risks and benefits associated with enoxaparin dose adjustment in medically-ill patients with BMI greater than 40 kg/m2.
Self-Assessment: What is one benefit of increased enoxaparin dosing for VTE prophylaxis in medically-ill, obese patients?
