March is DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) Awareness Month

Filed in archive Consumer Alert , Miscellany on March 12, 2009

It is important to stay knowledgeable in the risk of DVT or Deep Vein Thrombosis.

The sixth annual National DVT Awareness Month has been kicked off. The Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis and its National Patient Spokesperson, Melanie Bloom, Widow of NBC news correspondent David Bloom who died in Iraq due to complications of DVT, are fulfilling their commitment to educate Americans about the dangers of DVT by putting word on the street through a mobile campaign, Driving to Reduce the Risks of DVT. A customized recreational vehicle will visit hospitals and local communities nationwide, promoting the importance of having healthcare professionals assess patients for their risk of developing DVT. They will roll out to 14 cities across the nation.

This year, on March 10th, the Coalition also launched National Screening Day. In fact, the U.S. House of Representatives is introducing a resolution to designate the second Tuesday in March as National DVT Screening Day to underscore DVT as a national public health priority! The goal is to encourage healthcare organizations and professionals to educate patients and colleagues about the importance of DVT risk assessment. In the last five years, the Coalition has made great strides in raising awareness - but more needs to be done. DVT still remains a national public health crisis.

Did you know that in the United States, DVT affects up to 2 million people annually? DVT-related PE is the most common cause of preventable hospital death and complications from DVT kill more people each year in the U.S. than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

More information can be found at www.preventdvt.org.