A Call to Action … on Blood Clots!

The Surgeon General of the United States, Vice-Admiral Dr. Richard H. Carmona, concluded a twoday workshop on deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) by committing to issue a Surgeon General's "Call to Action" to prevent and decrease the negative impact of DVT and PE on the American public. This is a powerful way to affect the treatment and care of those affected by venous clots. And that could benefit many people. It is estimated that up to 600,000 people are hospitalized each year for DVT and up to 200,000 deaths are due to PE. DVTs are blood clots that develop in the veins of the legs and sometimes the arms. A pulmonary embolism is when the blood clot dislodges and travels to the lungs.

Vascular Disease Foundation was privileged to participate in this workshop, which brought together experts from the science and medical communities at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) campus in Bethesda, Maryland, on May 8-9, 2006. The meeting was co-hosted by the Office of the Surgeon General and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the NIH. The participants heard presentations about the prevalence of DVT, who is at risk, effective treatments, and best practices. The group discussed and helped set priorities on how to translate this information into medical care across the country.

Since the meeting, VDF has initiated contact with several of the groups at this meeting to further develop some of the priorities discussed at the workshop. VDF is committed to increasing awareness about venous disease and will work to build on the momentum of this workshop. It is hoped that this meeting marks the beginning of efforts that will make a difference in the lives of those affected by venous disease.