Speaking at the Venous Disease Coalition (VDC) Annual Meeting today, Dr. Garth Graham from the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services followed up on last year's Surgeon General's Call to Action by focusing attention on the African American population which is at significantly increased risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE).
African Americans have a significantly higher risk of developing potentially deadly DVT and PE compared with other ethnic populations in the U.S., according to data presented by Dr. Graham.
"One person dies every five to six minutes from a DVT or PE related event in America, and some groups such as African Americans are at a significantly higher risk of developing these conditions," said Dr. Graham, who lost his sister to PE. "Many of the causes of DVT are entirely preventable and easily treatable, so it's crucial that people understand their level of risk and take action to reduce this. Improved awareness and access to treatment can save a great number of lives."
To help raise awareness, the VDC has launched the "Pause for Prevention" DVT and PE Assessment, a tool to help people better understand if they are at risk for DVT or PE. This is available on www.venousdiseasecoalition.org.