Venous thromboembolism (VTE) comprises two types of serious blood clots: deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). VTE is a serious, but treatable, medical condition that has a significant impact on patient morbidity and mortality. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 547,596 patients aged 18 years and older are hospitalized annually with VTE; the CDC further estimates that 60,000-100,000 deaths each year are from VTE.
Untreated acute DVT may cause clinically significant PE in up to 33% of patients, especially in the setting of iliofemoral DVT. Untreated PE is often recurrent over the short term and either improves spontaneously or causes death. Because the signs and symptoms of DVT and PE can be subtle, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed. Accordingly, the approximate death rate from PE is 10%, but can be as high as 30% in untreated patients.
Early diagnosis and treatment of VTE significantly reduces morbidity and mortality. Several therapeutic modalities exist, including pharmacologic and surgical management.
Are you familiar with key aspects of epidemiology, presentation, and treatment of thromboembolic disease? Test yourself with this short quiz.
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Cite this: Cheong Jun Lee. Fast Five Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Venous Thromboembolism - Medscape - Dec 03, 2018.
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