Grant: Project Grant

Venous thrombosis refers to blood clots that happen in the deep veins of the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or lungs (pulmonary embolism). Venous thrombosis is a common condition that can be fatal. About 1 in 20 Canadians will develop venous thrombosis in their lifetime. It is treated with medication to reduce blood clotting (anticoagulants). The main side effect of anticoagulants is bleeding, the majority of which comes from the stomach or intestines (gastrointestinal). Gastrointestinal bleeding can lead to hospitalization and even death. The chance of bleeding is highest in the first few months after starting anticoagulants. Proton pump inhibitors lower the acid content of the stomach. They are used to prevent and treat bleeding from the stomach. Preliminary studies suggest that they may reduce gastrointestinal bleeding for people taking anticoagulants. Our goal is to do a large study to see if proton pump inhibitor medication reduces gastrointestinal bleeding for patients starting anticoagulants for venous thrombosis compared to placebo. We plan to do a large, randomized trial which is the best way to compare two different treatments. Before doing a large study, it is important to assess the feasibility (can it be done) and identify possible challenges in a pilot study. The RADIANT Pilot Study team includes experts in thrombosis (blood clotting), gastroenterology, research methods and includes people with lived experience (patient partners). Information from this study will help doctors and researchers understand how to prevent gastrointestinal bleeding for patients treated with anticoagulants.