Venous thromboembolism in the elderly

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common disease and has a high impact on morbidity, mortality, and costs of care. The majority of patients with VTE are aged > or = 65 years, making VTE essentially a disease of the elderly. Despite its high prevalence and the fact that VTE has a less favourable outcome in elderly patients (e.g., higher rate of mortality, major bleeding, and post-thrombotic syndrome), older patients are underrepresented in prospective studies of VTE. Moreover, little is known about patient factors that determine medical outcomes, quality of life, and costs of care in elderly patients with VTE. The goal of this article is to review the existing evidence regarding VTE in the elderly. A prospective multicenter Swiss cohort study will examine medical outcomes, quality of life, and medical resource utilization in elderly patients with VTE.