A review of the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a debilitating and potentially fatal condition, often seen in the aging population. VTE results from clot formation in the venous circulation and presents as either deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). A population-based study estimated that at least 201,000 new cases of VIE occur in the United States annually. Of these, 107,000 are DVT cases, while the remaining 94,000 present as PE. The goals for acute treatment of DVT are to prevent further clotting, prevent acute pulmonary emboli, reduce the risk of recurrent thrombosis, and to truncate the development of complications including venous insufficiency and post-thrombotic syndrome. Patients with acute DVT should be treated with one of several therapies. These include subcutaneous (SC) low-molecular-weight heparin, intravenous unfractionated heparin (UFH), SC UFH with monitoring, fixed-dose SC UFH, or SC fondaparinux, versus no treatment at all. (Formulary. 2010;45: 91-100.)