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Research by Professor Richard Beasley has highlighted the link between the development of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and sedentary living (*1). Those with increased immobility showed that after just 90 minutes, blood-flow to the lower limbs had decreased by over 50%. This decrease in blood flow, significantly increases the threat of the patient presenting with a DVT.

When the Department of Health VTE risk assessment toolfor hospitalised patients was applied to baseline data, 58.7% of participants were classed as high risk. There were 991 events: 246 deaths, 574 hospital admissions, and 171 GP consults involving symptoms suggestive of VTE.

Residence in a nursing home is an independent risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE). The incidence of VTE in care home residents (with and without nursing) may be up to 21 times the community incidence and five times that of people aged >70 years. (*2)

Death occurs in around 10% of PE cases, with PEs presenting as the third most common cause of sudden death from cardiovascular disease after heart attack and stroke. To reduce the substantial burden of disease, opportunities to mitigate modifiable risks in selected patient groups need to be identified and preventative measures introduced.

Historically the NHS has relied upon graduated compression stockings as a preventative aid, however in light of the recent paper published by the Imperial College (NHS) London, who concluded that graduated compression stockings have no clinical or medical benefit – pre or post procedures (*3).

With around 410,000 residents in care-homes (*4), owners of the care-homes, along with the managers and carers have a duty of care for all of their residents, and because of the severity of the results of a resident developing a DVT, blood-clot prevention should always be a key objective for all involved in the residents’ care.

To offer complete peace of mind for residents and care-homes alike, a solution has to be found, but the solution must be as simple and as user friendly as possible. However, there are several operational and commercial factors that need to be considered beforehand. Factors like the cost of a device to prevent DVT, how easy is the device to access and to use, are there any operational issues like training, technology updates, storage to be taken into consideration?

On series 19 of the Dragons’ Den, an MHRA approved DVT prevention device was pitched to the Dragons’. What made this medical device such a strong commercial investment for the Dragons’ was that it came with highly respected clinical research, independent clinical trials and it has been approved by the MHRA.

The device was created and developed through the research of Professor Beasley and his team at the MRINZ, and it has been proven to increase the blood-flow to the lower limbs over 10-fold whilst the user is sedentary. This increase in blood-flow significantly reduces the threat of the user ever developing a potentially deadly blood-clot. As Dragon Peter Jones said; “every care-home in the UK should have these, they will save lives.”

• The DVT prevention device sits under-foot
• There’s 3 easy exercises that are
• Drug free and non-invasive
• Light and very easy to use
• Antimicrobial safe from contamination for the life of the product
• Approved by the MHRA
• Stores very compactly
• 100% recyclable

*1    Lower limb immobilisation and venous thromboembolism risk – Irene Braithwaite, Bridget Healy, Laird Cameron, Mark Weatherall and Richard Beasley, Postgrad Med J 2017 93: 354-359 originally published online October 26, 2016 doi: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2016-134365

*2    Incidence of venous thromboembolism in care homes: a prospective cohort study – 2017 Feb; 67(655): e130–e137

*3    imperial.ac.uk/news/197513/compression-stockings-unnecessary-following-surgery-research

*4              Care home market study gov.uk 3oth November 2017