The Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and the Thrombosis Foundation are starting a long-awaited rehabilitation program for pulmonary embolism patients. Every year, more than 12,000 people in the Netherlands get a pulmonary embolism. Up to half of these patients are left with long-lasting physical and mental complaints from this form of thrombosis. These complaints can be so serious that work is no longer possible and there is a risk of social isolation. At the moment there is no good treatment, while better care after a pulmonary embolism is particularly topical now, because pulmonary embolisms are much more often diagnosed by the corona virus. Thanks to a donation of 300,000 euros from the VriendenLoterij, the LUMC and the Thrombosis Foundation can now finally start a rehabilitation program to improve the quality of life of these patients. This is reported by the Thrombosis Foundation Netherlands.
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Proper rehabilitation after a pulmonary embolism diagnosis can likely prevent many problems. Unfortunately, rehabilitation after pulmonary embolism is not standard care. As a result, many patients are often still poorly off for weeks after diagnosis. Because of pain or insecurity, they often do not dare to start moving, and their condition deteriorates further. Sometimes work no longer works, and social isolation threatens. Without proper guidance, patients will not get rid of these debilitating complaints. As a result, they still have to undergo long-term rehabilitation for a long time after the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, or live with complaints that could have been prevented.
Home rehabilitation program
Internist Dr. Erik Klok (LUMC), in collaboration with other professionals, has designed a home rehabilitation program especially for pulmonary embolism patients with a specially developed bicycle ergometer from Lode. Erik Klok: “Immediately after the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, we will activate patients in their home situation to exercise and live a healthy life, so that they can get back to work faster, drop out less often and feel fitter. We want to make a big difference with this ”.
Unique and accessible
This rehabilitation program, PE @ home, is unique in the world. In an accessible way, the patient, doctor and physiotherapist can work together on a good rehabilitation of the patient. This with the help of a specially designed dashboard on which all parties can see the results. With the support of the VriendenLoterij and the Thrombosis Foundation, Klok and his colleagues can now scientifically test this program and prepare for national implementation. Stans van Egmond, director of the Thrombosis Foundation: “We often speak to people who after a pulmonary embolism suffer from many nasty complaints, while we believe that could have been prevented with good aftercare. With this donation we can finally start to develop good aftercare. ”
By: Nationale Zorggids
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