Venous Thromboembolism and Pulmonary Embolism Response Teams: An Overview.

Venous thromboembolism is a common disease with a wide array of signs and symptoms. It has been cited as the third leading cause of cardiovascular death, and if left untreated, it leads to death in 1 in 4 patients. Sophisticated diagnostic tools have allowed physician to become more accurate in diagnosing pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. The advent of new oral anticoagulants, the emergence of pulmonary embolism response teams, and protocols demonstrate recent achievements in the management of venous thromboembolism. The focus of this article is to discuss the treatment of venous thromboembolism.