Social media and venous thromboembolism: an informative approach to the disease.

Abstract

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) comprises deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), and it is one of the most important public health issues, with an estimated annual incidence of 0,5 to 2 cases per thousand in the population. VTE is the third cause of death resulting from cardiovascular diseases, and PE is a severe complication, fatal in 30% of the DVT cases. It is estimated that every year around 300 thousand Brazilian are affected by a thrombotic event. A recent assessment made by the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (SBACV) based on the official database of the Ministery of Health showed that more than 425 thousand Brazilian were hospitalized for DVT treatment between January, 2012 and May, 2022. DVT is considered a multifactorial disease unleashed by both genetic and acquired risk factors. Approximately 60% of all VTE occur in association with an acquired risk factor, such as surgeries, immobilization, hospitalization, hormonal contraceptive methods, pregnancy, long flights, cancer, obesity, smoking, and others. It is an important datum that identifying these factors enables the adoption of prophylactic measures, for VTE can be avoided in more than half the cases. It also important to highlight that VTE affects young patients as well, having an important economic impact on them. The mission of the Center of Thromboembolic Diseases (CDT) is to constantly search for solutions for the diagnosis and the treatment of VTE, gather national epidemiological data and act as a partner on the improvement of the public health services in indentifying challenges, establishing guidelines and developing educational measures for the population.