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Volume 8, Number 3 |
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| Focus on ICT meeting – Slovenia 2004 |
Sarah Bond MRPharmS Dip Clin Pharm; Michelle Taylor RN Anticoagulant Practitioners, Great Western Hospital, Swindon, Wiltshire |
The recent 18th International Congress on Thrombosis took place in June 2004 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. It was well attended and of great interest, with presentations and symposia on a range of varied topics. Again, as with other recent meetings, there was a focus on the impending new direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) but there were also several interesting symposia on the diagnosis, management and issues surrounding venous thromboembolism (VTE) and oral anticoagulation. |
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| warfarin – fact or fiction?,Interaction between cranberry juice and |
Peter Rose, Editor |
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has recently reminded us of a possible interaction between warfarin and cranberry juice.1 Its advice is that patients taking warfarin should avoid cranberry juice, or other cranberry products unless health benefits are considered to outweigh any risks. |
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| Polycythaemia vera and portal vein thrombosis |
David Jackson MBBS BSc(Med) FRACP FRCPA Senior Haematology Registrar, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge |
Polycythaemia vera (PV) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterised by marrow proliferation, together with an elevated red cell mass. It occurs in approximately two to 13 cases per million population, with significant geographic variation. The mean age at diagnosis is 60 years. |
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| TEG testing during surgery |
Barry Hill CSci FIBMS Chief Biomedical Scientist, Blood Transfusion Dept, Wigan Royal Infirmary |
Increasing elective surgery within the UK over the last decade has created a surge in demand for the use of donated blood and other components, such as platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP). Despite the fact that the National Blood Service (NBS) collects and processes approximately 3 million donations each year, the demand for blood continues to rise. |
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| Tinzaparin for thromboprophylaxis and treatment during pregnancy |
Mark P Smith MBChB FRACP FRCPA, Consultant Haematologist, Canterbury Health Laboratories, Christchurch, New Zealand |
Low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) have become the primary therapeutic choice for management and prevention of venous thromboembolism (VTE) during pregnancy.1,2 LMWHs do not bind to the endothelium and have a low affinity for plasma proteins,3 resulting in consistent bioavailability and elimination kinetics. |
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