Silent "killer"-watch out for VTE

1. What is VTE?

VTE is short for venous thromboembolic disease, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE);

DVT is a series of diseases caused by abnormal clotting of blood in deep veins into a thrombus, which hinders the return of blood;

PE is a cardiopulmonary dysfunction caused by venous/right heart thrombosis, displacement with blood flow and blockage of pulmonary arteries and branches, which can be fatal!

VTE = DVT + PE!

2. What are the hazards of VTE?

VTE is the third most common cardiovascular disease killer in the world! It is a common cause that seriously affects the quality of life of patients!

1. Pulmonary embolism

Lethal/chronic pulmonary hypertension

2. DVT→PTS (post-thrombotic syndrome)

Limb swelling/ulcer/infection/gangrene

3. Who is prone to VTE?

Long-term bed/hospitalization

Senior (≥65 years old)

Cancer (Surgery/Radiotherapy/Chemotherapy)

Surgery/Trauma/Stress

pregnant woman

Infectious diseases such as pneumonia

4. What is the performance of VTE?

DVT: limb swelling, pain, dilation of superficial veins, skin redness, bruising; pain in ankle movement or squeezing calf (Homans sign or Neuhof sign positive);

PE: Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, suffocation, cough, chest pain, hemoptysis, palpitation, fear, impending death, syncope, etc.

5. What to do after VTE occurs?

1. Visit the Vascular Surgery Department, and a professional doctor will examine, diagnose, and formulate a treatment plan for you;

Outpatient: Monday to Friday, up/afternoon; Friday morning, VTE specialty clinic;

Emergency: 24 hours;

2. Examination: D-dimer (venous blood test); venous color Doppler ultrasound;

3. Treatment: anticoagulation/thrombolysis/broken thrombus, suction thrombus, thrombectomy surgery/filter implantation surgery;

4. Follow-up visit: 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 1 year after receiving treatment, and return to the outpatient clinic once every six months; VTE patients can follow the "green channel for VTE follow-up visits".

6. How to prevent VTE?

1. Lifestyle prevention

"Move" to exercise on foot;

Balanced diet, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits;

Increase drinking water (>1500ml/day), "diluting" blood.

2. Physical prevention

Plantar venous pump/intermittent circulation drive/elastic socks

3. Drug prevention

Anticoagulant drugs: unfractionated heparin/low molecular weight heparin/warfarin/new oral anticoagulants (such as rivaroxaban)