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(Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology. 2008;28:394.)
© 2008 American Heart Association, Inc.

Venous Thromboembolism: Mechanisms, Treatment and Public Awareness

CDC Division of Blood Disorders

Public Health Research Activities in Venous Thromboembolism

Michele G. Beckman; Sara E. Critchley; W. Craig Hooper; Althea M. Grant; Roshni Kulkarni

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Division of Blood Disorders, Atlanta, Ga.

Correspondence to Michele G. Beckman, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Disabilities, Division of Blood Disorders, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-64, Atlanta, GA 30333. E-mail mbeckman@cdc.gov

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and is an important and growing public health issue. The precise number of people affected by VTE is unknown. However, based on prospective studies, VTE is estimated to affect 300 000 to 600 000 (1 to 2 per 1000) people in the United States annually.^1–3 Not only is the high prevalence of VTE associated with substantial morbidity (one-third of people with DVT will have complications associated with postthrombotic syndrome), but it is also the cause of substantial mortality with 30% of persons with VTE dying within 1 month of diagnosis and about 25% of those with PE presenting with sudden death.⁴ In addition, many affected (about 30%) will experience recurrence of DVT/PE within 10 years of an initial DVT/PE.⁵ Fortunately, much of the morbidity and mortality associated with VTE is preventable with early and accurate diagnosis and management. However, one of the major challenges for preventing VTE is the ability to effectively predict which individuals are at greatest risk and ensure access to appropriate care.

VTE is a multifactorial disease involving both genetic and acquired risks in all age groups; however, the interplay of these risk factors on disease expression is not fully understood. Many of the acquired risks such as obesity, advanced age, air travel, and chronic diseases are increasing in the US population, suggesting that we can expect to see increasing numbers of people affected by VTE. Awareness of VTE is crucial; because many healthcare . . . [Full Text of this Article]