Venous Thromboembolism

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to venous thromboembolism (VTE), its diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE)

Condition resulting from clot formation in the venous circulation, manifesting as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE).

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

A blood clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the legs.

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

A blockage in one of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs, often caused by blood clots that travel to the lungs from the legs.

Risk factors for VTE

Increasing age, history of VTE, blood stasis, vascular injury, and hypercoagulability.

Virchow’s triad

A set of three factors that contribute to VTE: blood stasis, vascular injury, and hypercoagulability.

D-dimer

A fibrin degradation product that is typically elevated in the presence of a clot.

Postthrombotic syndrome

A condition that occurs following DVT, leading to chronic symptoms like swelling, pain, and skin changes.

Anticoagulation therapy

Medication therapy aimed at preventing the formation of blood clots.

Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin (LMWH)

A type of anticoagulant that is derived from unfractionated heparin (UFH) and has predictable pharmacokinetic properties.

Fondaparinux

An anticoagulant that indirectly inhibits factor Xa and is used for the management of VTE.

Warfarin

An oral anticoagulant that inhibits vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, requiring regular INR monitoring.

Thrombolytics

Medications that dissolve blood clots by enzymatically converting plasminogen to plasmin.

Inferior vena cava filter

A device placed in the inferior vena cava to prevent blood clots from traveling to the lungs.

Major bleeding

A serious side effect of anticoagulants that requires immediate medical attention.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)

An immune-mediated reaction to heparin leading to low platelet counts and increased risk of thrombosis.

Clinical decision rules (e.g., Wells score)

Assessment tools used to estimate the probability of DVT or PE based on clinical findings.

Compression ultrasound (CUS)

A non-invasive imaging technique used to diagnose DVT.

Computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA)

A specialized CT scan used to visualize blood vessels in the lungs, important for diagnosing PE.

INR (International Normalized Ratio)

A standardized measure for monitoring blood coagulation levels in patients on anticoagulant therapy.

Thrombus

A blood clot that forms in a blood vessel and remains there, preventing blood flow.

Antithrombin

A protein in the blood that inhibits blood clotting factors and is critical for anticoagulation.