Venous Thromboembolism - A Significant National Health Problem
Venous Thrombolembolism (VTE), a disease comprised of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE), is the number one cause of preventable hospital death. Early endovascular intervention in patients with a DVT dramatically reduces the risks of a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism, improve a patient's quality of life and reduce long-term complications associated with DVT.
- 2,000,000 cases of DVT/PE are estimated to occur annually in the US.
- 900,000 patients are diagnosed with DVT/PE annually.
- 300,000 people yearly die of pulmonary embolism (PE).
- DVT/PE is the third leading cardiovascular killer behind heart attack and stroke.
- DVT/PE causes more people to die annually than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
The National Quality Forum in May 2008 released the first set of consensus standards relating to the impact that VTE is having in hospitals. These standards established voluntary hospital quality measures with the goal of reducing the most preventable cause of hospital mortality - VTE. Compliance with these measures requires institutions to create evidence-based protocols surrounding the prevention and treatment of VTE.
- VTE is the number one cause of avoidable mortality in hospitals
- CMS will track these measures as a part of hospital quality scores
- The guidance requires the use of evidence-based protocols
- The use of thrombolytic therapy and clot removal techniques (thrombectomy) are to be outlined as part of the protocol
- Treatments that avoid post-thrombotic syndrome are recommended