One in four people worldwide dies of causes related to thrombosis

Islamabad
There is little awareness among public in Pakistan about complications and life-threatening situations caused by thrombosis, blood clot in leg or lungs, which is a leading cause of death and disability around the globe.
Health experts believe that by creating sufficient awareness among public on various aspects of the health threat, a number of deaths can be avoided particularly because 60 per cent of all cases of venous thromboembolism (VTE), a form of thrombosis occur during or following a hospital stay making VTE a leading cause of preventable hospital death.
The Department of Medicine at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences organised a seminar, for the first time, in connection with World Thrombosis Day, observed on October 13, the birthday of Rudolf Virchow, a German physician and pathologist who first developed and advanced the concept of thrombosis.
Public awareness of VTE is low and awareness of hospitalization as a risk factor is even lower. Therefore, WTD 2015 is focused on hospital-associated VTE encouraging healthcare professionals and patients alike to think VTE and know the signs, symptoms and risk factors of potentially dangerous blood clots.
Thrombosis that can affect people of all age groups, genders and ethnicities refers to abnormal, life threatening blood clot that forms in artery or vein. A clot in the vein (usually in leg on pelvis) is known as “deep vein Thrombosis” (DVT) and the clot that breaks off and travels to the lungs is known as “Pulmonary embolism” (PE).
The PIMS Medicine Department organized the seminar at medical unit that was attended by over 40 doctors of the hospital. In the inaugural session, post-graduate trainee Dr. Tahir gave overall review and update on various aspects of thrombosis.
In his presentation, he said deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), which together comprises VTE, claims more lives than AIDS, Breast cancer, prostate cancer and motor vehicles crashes. He informed the participants that worldwide, one in four people die from causes related to thrombosis.
After introduction, Professor Dr. Jamal Zafar who took up this important health issue at Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University by organizing the seminar chaired a panel discussion of doctors on the subject.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the seminar was aimed at highlighting this disease, its management, it prevention and its economical burden. He said general Public should follow the preventive measures like daily exercise and sufficient intake of adequate fluids especially in summers.
Avoiding long sittings, for hours, in front of computer and TV can decrease the risk factor because facts have supported this hypothesis, of an increase in risk of having DVT owing to continuous sitting for long hours, he said.
Talking to ‘The News’ on Thursday, Professor Jamal said there is a need of creating sufficient awareness among public particularly on avoiding risk factors.
The disease claims one life in every 37 seconds in western world, whereas place like Pakistan offers little possibility of any credible data collection that consequently leads to practically no clue about the disease impact, but still experience reveals that it is on the higher side.
He said the PIMS admits five to six patients with the disease every week and annually, 300 to 400 patients reach the hospital for treatment. Based on these patients’ condition, it is established that DVT, stroke due to Thrombosis and Thromboembolism are having very high prevalence in Pakistan, said Professor Jamal.