From the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality standard for diagnosis and management of venous thromboembolic diseases (QS29 March 2013):
Statement 1. People with suspected deep vein thrombosis are offered an interim therapeutic dose of anticoagulation therapy if diagnostic investigations are expected to take longer than 4 hours from the time of first clinical suspicion.
Statement 2. People with suspected deep vein thrombosis have all diagnostic investigations completed within 24 hours of first clinical suspicion.
Statement 3. People with suspected pulmonary embolism are offered an interim therapeutic dose of anticoagulation therapy if diagnostic investigations are expected to take longer than 1 hour from the time of first clinical suspicion.
Statement 4. People with proximal deep vein thrombosis are offered below-knee graduated compression stockings within 3 weeks of diagnosis.
Statement 5. People with unprovoked deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism who are not already known to have cancer are offered timely investigations for cancer.
Statement 6. People with provoked deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are not offered testing for thrombophilia.
Statement 7. People with active cancer and confirmed proximal deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are offered anticoagulation therapy.
Statement 8. People without cancer who receive anticoagulation therapy have a review within 3 months of diagnosis of confirmed proximal deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism to discuss the risks and benefits of continuing anticoagulation therapy.
Statement 9. People with active cancer who receive anticoagulation therapy have a review within 6 months of confirmed proximal deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism to discuss the risks and benefits of continuing anticoagulation therapy.
Other quality standards that should also be considered when choosing, commissioning or providing a high-quality venous thromboembolic diseases service are listed in Related NICE quality standards.
