Improving VTE Research: Where to Start?

Last week, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) and the American Heart Association (AHA) released a joint statement addressing significant priorities of improvement in the research, treatment, and identification of venous thromboembolism (VTE).

The statement was released in alignment with a 16-organization authored advisory on a range of improvements necessary for the field of VTE research alone—and indicted the field for limited progress in the decade-plus following the 2008 Surgeon General’s Call to Action for bettered VTE care.

The comprehensive challenge from world-leading organizations to improve the entire state of disease management seems severe, yet some experts may warrant its need. Among them, Maja Zaric, MD, stresses the need for improvements.

“I think this is a topic that has been almost like a big bear sitting in the middle of the living room,” Zaric started. “We’re all very aware of the mortality and morbidity related (to VTE), we’re known about it for a couple decades, at least.”

In an interview with HCPLive, Zaric, interventional cardiologist and assistant professor at Zucker Medical School, discussed the still-prevalent burden of VTE comorbidities—from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) to venous hypertension—to a mortality rate that remains far too similar to what the surgeon general called out 12 years out.

In fact, in that time, Zaric said the field has not improved “one iota” in decreasing VTE-related mortality. But research is underway.

In reference to the guidance provided by the ISTH and AHA, Zaric echoed the need to begin at the beginning of disease development: much is still to be learned about thrombosis-inducing clotting which initiates first care.