2011-03-01
March is Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) awareness month.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 300,000–600,000 people are affected by DVT or pulmonary embolism (PE) in the United States each year.[1] DVT is a type of clot that forms in a major vein of the leg or, less commonly, in the arms, pelvis, or other large veins in the body. DVT can develop into PE, a dangerous condition in which the clot detaches from its point of origin and travels to the lungs, where it becomes stuck and prevents blood flow. As part of ASH’s mission to further the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of blood disorders, the Society is involved with various intiatives that tackle the issue of DVT, including advocacy, research support, clinical education, and patient information.
ASH continues to work with several advocacy coalitions and the Department of Health and Human Services on efforts to increase public awareness of DVT as a major public health problem. ASH has been very active in encouraging Congress to support the development of a national thrombosis surveillance system at the CDC as well as to support funding at the National Institutes of Health, CDC, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and other federal agencies to enable research into prevention, treatment, and cures for DVT.
For researchers who focus on DVT issues, the Special Symposium on the Basic Science of Hemostasis and Thrombosis is held during the ASH Annual Meeting. This event serves as a valuable resource for researchers, as it provides information on the latest research in the field, focusing on the most notable contributions made in the areas of thrombosis, blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, and platelet biology. Read more about the 2010 Symposium.
In the fall of 2010, ASH presented a series of webinars on thrombosis issues practicing hematologists frequently confront. These sessions featured presentations by experts in the field, provided time for questions and answers, and covered the most current information on how to best diagnose and care for patients. Clinicians can also utilize ASH’s collection of articles from Hematology, the ASH Education Program, written by experts in the field that cover topics such as anticoagulants, arterial and venous thrombosis, and thrombosis in children. These articles can serve as a valuable education resource for clinicians, as they cover sessions from the Education Program presented at the 2010 ASH Annual Meeting
Information for patients with DVT or those who want to learn more about the disease:
Access ASH’s patient resource pages to find general information about blood clots, the risks of developing clots, including air travel and pregnancy, preventive measures, and treatments for DVT.
Patients can also access a listing of links to organizations that inform and support patients with clotting disorders and their families.
Deep Vein Thrombosis: Data and Statistics. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/data.html. Accessed March 9, 2011
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