Venous Thromboembolism in the Outpatient Setting

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Abstract
Data from the population-based Worcester DVT (deep vein thrombosis) Study in the mid to late 1980s suggested that most episodes of venous thromboembolism (VTE) take place in the outpatient setting.1 Nevertheless, data from another population-based study (Olmsted County, Minnesota) suggest that factors associated with hospitalization accounted for nearly 50% of the attributable risk of VTE.2 The risk factor profile of outpatients experiencing VTE, particularly with respect to recent hospitalizations and surgical procedures, has not been well described. The objectives of this observational study were to identify the proportion of patients with VTE in a community who experience their events in the outpatient setting, to characterize the prevalence of previously identified risk factors for VTE, and to identify previous use (or nonuse) of VTE prophylaxis.