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What You Need to Know about Venous Thromboembolism

January 14, 2015   |   Alliance for Aging Research Team   |   Cardiovascular Disease, Venous thromboembolism (VTE), Deep vein thrombosis, Pulmonary embolism
Illustration of heart, lungs, veins, and arteries.

Venous thromboembolism and its associated conditions deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism are not only serious medical conditions, but they are very difficult to spell for some of us. Thankfully, we can shorten them to their respective acronyms: VTE, DVT, and PE. With that out of the way, we wanted to share some info about a condition that affects 600,000 Americans each year.

VTE is a common cardiovascular condition that starts when a DVT blood clot develops in the body—usually within the muscles. PE occurs when this blood clot breaks free, travels through the circulatory system to the lungs, and lodges in a main artery or arteries, blocking blood flow.

Getting VTE is a serious matter. Four in 10 cases of DVT develop into PE. And one in 10 untreated cases of PE will result in death. The potential for VTE gets worse as we age.

That’s the bad news. The good news? You can live with VTE because it can be treated if you know what to look for and what to do if you suspect you might have it.

That’s why we have the Living with VTE campaign. It includes everything you need to know about this condition, including a short video, and a downloadable brochure.

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