ABSTRACT
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is the third most common cardiovascular disorder in the United States after coronary artery disease and stroke. The incidence of VTE rises sharply after age of 60 years in both men and women, with PE accounting for the majority of the increase (1,2). The mortality rate for acute PE exceeds 15% in the first three months after diagnosis, surpassing that of myocardial infarction (3). Nearly 25% of patients with acute PE present with sudden death as the initial clinical manifestation (4). The majority of deaths from acute PE are due to acute right ventricular (RV) failure (5). Among those who survive acute PE, up to 4% may develop disabling chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (6).
