FIL sent home with suspected DVT?

[Irritateandunreasonable]

FIL has just been sent home from A&E with a suspected DVT. History of two heart attacks, late 70s. Sent home with blood thinners and he’s to return after the weekend.

Why on earth has been sent home? How safe is this?

The treatment for DVT is blood thinners. They wouldn’t do anything else or different keeping him in if he is otherwise well. It’s standard practice to send people home with the tablets as a precautionary measure and then bring them back for the next available scan. If the scan shows no clot, the tablets will be stopped. If they confirm a clot the tablets will be continued.

As above. Very normal and completely fine I promise. If he has a clot on scan they will send him home again on the same treatment unless it hits specific unusual criteria (but this would likely to be clinically obvious)

It’s usual, it’s a serious condition but the treatment is straightforward generally. Once the scan is done he should get some plan for follow-up, but most people with symptoms of a DVT don’t need to be in hospital while they wait for the scan.

There are lots of guidelines that recommend it, this for example https://gpcare.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/DVT-Pathway-map-1.pdf

Ok, I’m reassured. Thank you all!