According to a recent study from the University at Buffalo, COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) who are prescribed full dose blood thinners are significantly more likely to experience major bleeding than patients who are prescribed a lower but equally effective dose..

A study comparing the safety and efficacy of blood clotting strategies in more than 150 critically ill patients with COVID-19 at two hospitals found that almost all patients who experienced significant bleeding were mechanically ventilated and received full dose anticoagulants (thinners)..

The results, published last month in a hospital pharmacy, could inform recommendations for treating blood clots in hospitalized COVID-19 patients who are at increased risk for both blood clots and major bleeding.. Previous reports have shown that 17% of hospitalized COVID-19 patients have blood clots, says first author Maya Chilbert, PharmD, clinical assistant professor at UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.

There is a wide range of practice when it comes to approaching blood clots in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, and there is little evidence to suggest improved outcomes with one strategy over another.. In mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients, care should be taken when choosing a clot regimen, and the decision to use full-dose blood thinners should be based on compelling evidence, not just laboratory markers.”.

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Additional researchers at the UB School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences include Collin Clark, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Professor, and Ashley Woodruff, PharmD, Clinical Assistant Professor. The study was also conducted by researchers at Buffalo General Medical Center, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, and Erie County Medical Center..

Maya Chilbert, PharmD, Clinical Associate Professor, University of California School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences reports: “The study analyzed thrombus treatment outcomes and bleeding rates in more than 150 patients with COVID-19 who received one of two blood thinning regimens: full dose,. The average age of the patients was 58 years old, and all had elevated levels of D-dimer, fibrinogen (a protein that helps the body form blood clots), and prothrombin time (a test that measures the time it takes blood plasma to clot).

Nearly 14% of patients treated with full dose blood thinners experienced significant bleeding, compared to only 3% of patients treated with higher than standard dosage.. All patients who experienced bleeding were mechanically ventilated.. There were no differences in the effectiveness of thrombus treatment regimens.”.

Further research is needed to determine the optimal strategy for managing blood clots and bleeding in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, study says.

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