VTE

Venous thromboembolism comes in two forms :

  • phlebitis or deep vein thrombosis
  • pulmonary embolism

 

Dominique MottierAnswers by Pr. MOTTIER

 

What is "venous thromboembolism" ?

Prof. Dominique Mottier : venous thromboembolism is a disease affecting the veins and/or lungs. A clot forms in a vein which can be responsible for phlebitis: leg is swollen and painful and this clot (which is what makes this disease so serious) can break off and travel to the lungs which is then referred to as a pulmonary embolism.

Venous thromboembolism groups two diseases under the same term: phlebitis and pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is a complication of phlebitis.

Is venous thromboembolism common ?

Prof. Dominique Mottier : the mortality rate due to pulmonary embolism is significant. It is estimated at approximately 10 to 15% (sudden death excluded) which is very high, pointing out that the incidence of this disease is 1 in 1,000 per year. However, in the elderly this figure is closer to 10 in 1,000, i.e. 1%! This means that every year 1% of all elderly patients will suffer from phlebitis or pulmonary embolism. This therefore raises the issue of prevention and knowing how to identify the patients at risk.

What are the risk factors for this disease ?

Prof. Dominique Mottier : there are many risk factors: age is a major risk factor, however there are lots of others that are genetically-related (predisposition from one’s parents), this is quite common. It is estimated that nearly 10 to 15% of subjects have an anomaly predisposing them to this disease.

There are also acquired factors too. Among these, the circumstances leading to phlebitis are surgery (because you are immobile after surgery), in-patient hospitalisation and also for instance with women, anything that is hormone-related: the pill, pregnancy, menopausal hormone treatment are other factors. Cancer is another risk factor. Then there is travel, even though the arguments are somewhat weak in this area.

It is a multi-factor disease and not related to one single factor. It usually involves an association of constitutional factors (that are in your make-up) and other factors that are added to this which is when the disease appears.

Source:  Doctissimo website

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Le Groupe d'Investigation et de Recherche Clinique sur la Thrombose (GIRC Thrombose) est un réseau français de professionnels de la santé. Cette association regroupe plus de cinquante médecins appartenant à des Centres Hospitaliers Universitaires (CHU), à des Centres d'Investigation Clinique (CIC) de l'INSERM / DGOS, à des Centres Hospitaliers (CH) ou à des cabinets libéraux de Médecine Vasculaire. Tous interviennent dans la prévention et le traitement des maladies Thromboemboliques (MVTE) qui s'exprime sous deux formes, la phlébite ou thrombose veineuse profonde et l' embolie pulmonaire.
Recherche clinique thrombose, maladie thrombo embolique, maladie thromboembolique, maladie thromboembolique veineuse, maladies thromboemboliques, phlébite informations, phlébites, thromboses veineuses profondes, embolies pulmonaires.