Surgeon General Calls for Action to Prevent Deep
Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism
Two guides to help seniors and other consumers,
clinicians issued by AHRQ
Sept.
15, 2008 - A campaign spearheaded by the U.S. surgeon general kicked off
today with the goal of reducing the number of cases of deep vein
thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, killers of over 100,000 people each
year in the U.S. Many of those who die are senior citizens. The Call to
Action urges a coordinated, multifaceted plan.
The plan by Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson,
M.D., M.P.H., emphasizes the need for:
● Increased awareness about deep vein thrombosis
and pulmonary embolism.
● Evidence-based practices for deep vein
thrombosis.
● More research on the causes, prevention, and
treatment of deep vein thrombosis.
Galson urged all Americans to learn about and
prevent these treatable conditions.
Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism affect
an estimated 350,000 to 600,000 Americans each year, and the numbers are
expected to increase as the U.S. population ages. Together, deep vein
thrombosis and pulmonary embolism contribute to at least 100,000 deaths
each year.
Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a deep
vein, most commonly in the lower leg or thigh. The clot can block blood
flow and cause pain, swelling, and skin discoloration.
In the most serious cases, deep vein thrombosis can
lead to a pulmonary embolism - when part of the blood clot breaks loose
and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it can block a
lung artery, causing damage to the lungs or other organs from lack of
oxygen.
Who is at Risk?
By The
Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis
Certain
individuals may be at risk for developing DVT, although DVT can
occur in almost anyone. Some risk factors or triggering events
to discuss with your doctor include, but are not limited to:
● Advanced age
● Cancer
● Certain heart or respiratory diseases
● Prior DVT
● Acute medical illness with restricted mobility
● Inherited or acquired predisposition to clotting
● Obesity
● Hospitalization
● Patients undergoing major surgery, such as joint
replacements, who remain immobile in bed after an operation
● Pregnancy
● Restricted mobility caused by long-distance travel
● Use of birth control pills
● Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy
● Trauma
For more
information on deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism,
visit The Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis at
preventdvt.org.
About Thrombophlebitis
Also called:
Deep vein thrombosis, DVT, Phlebitis, Venous thrombosis
Thrombophlebitis is swelling of a vein caused by a blood clot.
It usually occurs in your legs. If the affected vein is just
beneath the skin, the condition is usually not dangerous. A clot
in a deeper vein, called deep vein thrombosis, can break loose
and cause a serious problem in the lung, called a
pulmonary embolism, or a heart attack or stroke.
Sitting still
for a long time can make you more likely to get thrombophlebitis.
Some medicines and disorders that increase your risk for blood
clots can also lead to thrombophlebitis. Common symptoms are
● Warmth and
tenderness over the vein
● Pain or
swelling in the part of the body affected
● Skin
redness
Treatment
includes medicines to ease pain and inflammation, break up clots
and keep new clots from forming. Keeping the affected area
raised and applying moist heat can also help. If you are taking
a long car or plane trip, take a break, walk or stretch your
legs and drink plenty of liquids.
"Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms are
often 'silent' conditions - they can occur suddenly and without
symptoms," Galson said. "But we have made a lot of progress in
understanding how these disorders develop and how to prevent, diagnose,
and treat them. It's time to put this knowledge into action."
Researchers have found that in most cases, deep
vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism develops in people who have an
inherited blood clotting disorder or other risk factor, and who
experience a triggering event.
"Being hospitalized or confined to bed rest, having
major surgery, suffering a trauma, or traveling for several hours can
increase a person’s risk of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary
embolism," Galson said. “We want to increase the awareness and knowledge
of these potentially deadly conditions and encourage patients and health
care providers to take the steps to prevent them."
The Call to Action resulted from a Surgeon
General’s Workshop on Deep Vein Thrombosis which was convened in May
2006. The workshop was co-sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and
Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.
"Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are
major public health problems, and NHLBI is committed to continuing to
support important basic and clinical research to advance our
understanding of these disabling and potentially fatal conditions,"
NHLBI Director Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., noted.
"Research is shedding light on genetic factors and
the role of triggering events, behaviors, and conditions that increase
the risk of developing dangerous blood clots. It is imperative that
clinicians and public health experts work together to translate this
scientific evidence to save lives."
Two New Guides to Help Consumers and Clinicians
Prevent Dangerous Blood Clots Issued by AHRQ
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
contributed to the Call to Action with the release of two new guides —
one for patients and another for health care providers — on how to
prevent dangerous blood clots.
“Fighting deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary
embolism is a team effort that involves health care providers and
patients,” said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D.
Not all blood clots are harmful but deep vein
thrombosis, a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of the body, most
commonly in the lower leg or thigh, is a potentially deadly medical
problem that affects at least 350,000 and possibly as many as 600,000
Americans each year, according to The Surgeon General’s Call to Action.
AHRQ’s news release says its resources are
independent of the Call to Action.
AHRQ’s consumer booklet, Your Guide to
Preventing and Treating Blood Clots, is a 12-page easy-to-read
resource that helps both patients and their families identify the causes
and symptoms of dangerous blood clots, learn tips on how to prevent them
and know what to expect during treatment.
The clinician guide, Preventing
Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for Effective Quality
Improvement, is a comprehensive tool to help hospitals and
clinicians implement processes to prevent dangerous blood clots. The
60-page guide details how to start, implement, evaluate and sustain a
quality improvement strategy. It includes case studies, as well as
examples of forms that clinicians in the field can use.
“Blood clots can be a serious condition affecting
hundreds of thousands of Americans each year,” said AHRQ Director
Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “We know how to prevent many of these dangerous
blood clots, and these guides will help patients and clinicians put that
knowledge to work to improve care.”
Dangerous blood clots can form when a person is
stationary for a long period of time, such as when recovering from
surgery, being hospitalized or traveling long distances. A blood clot
that travels to the lung is called a pulmonary embolism.
“These timely, easy-to-read guides provide valuable
information on preventing and treating dangerous blood clots,” said
Acting Surgeon General Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H. “They are also
valuable tools for health care providers to use with their patients who
are at risk for dangerous blood clots.”
The consumer guide, Your Guide to Preventing and
Treating Blood Clots, is based on work by Brenda Zierler, Ph.D., R.N. at
the University of Washington, Seattle. It is available in both
English and
Spanish. The clinician guide,
Preventing Hospital-Acquired Venous Thromboembolism: A Guide for
Effective Quality Improvement, reflects the work of Gregory Maynard,
M.D., at the University of California, San Diego, with contributions
from Jason Stein, M.D., at Emory University in Atlanta.
Treatment for blood clots often includes blood
thinning medications such as Coumadin® (generic name: warfarin). AHRQ
recently published
Your Guide to Coumadin®/Warfarin Therapy to help these patients
better understand their treatment. This guide also originated from an
AHRQ-funded patient safety project and is based on the work of James
Levett, M.D. and Carla Huber, A.R.N.P., M.S., at Kirkwood Community
College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Free, single copies of all AHRQ publications are
available by calling the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at (800)
358-9295 or by sending an e-mail to
AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov
Sept.
15, 2008 - A campaign spearheaded by the U.S. surgeon general kicked off
today with the goal of reducing the number of cases of deep vein
thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, killers of over 100,000 people each
year in the U.S. Many of those who die are senior citizens. The Call to
Action urges a coordinated, multifaceted plan.
(National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) 