A review of venous thromboembolism for the hospitalist.
Publication/Presentation Date
3-1-2025
Abstract
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), consisting of both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is an extremely common condition both in the United States and worldwide. Not only is the diagnosis associated with significant morbidity and mortality for patients but it also imposes a deleterious financial burden on the US healthcare system. Diagnosis may be challenging due to variability in clinical presentation and requires a sequential workup including assessment of clinical pretest probability for VTE, D-dimer testing, and imaging. Following diagnosis, proper risk stratification is necessary to determine the appropriate treatment as well as the need for inpatient care. Elucidation of underlying major or minor risk factors at the time of diagnosis is essential as the presence of which may influence the duration of therapy. First-line treatment for most patients is anticoagulation with a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) for a minimum of 3-6 months. In multiple clinical trials, DOACs have proven to be non-inferior to vitamin K antagonists for the treatment of VTE with a lower risk of bleeding. Special consideration should be taken in the choice of agent and duration of treatment for patients who have underlying thrombophilias or malignancy and who are pregnant.
Volume
137
Issue
2
First Page
131
Last Page
138
ISSN
1941-9260
Published In/Presented At
Szymanski, K., Weber, C., Daugherty, K., & Cohen, D. A. (2025). A review of venous thromboembolism for the hospitalist. Postgraduate medicine, 137(2), 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/00325481.2025.2452155
Disciplines
Medicine and Health Sciences
PubMedID
39804968
Department(s)
Fellows and Residents
Document Type
Article
