DVT

Venous thromboembolism (VTE)

Risk factors

Common predisposing factors include malignancy, pregnancy and the period following an operation. The comprehensive list below is partly based on the 2010 SIGN venous thromboembolism (VTE) guidelines:

General

• increased risk with advancing age
• obesity
• family history of VTE
• pregnancy (especially puerperium)
• immobility
• hospitalisation
• anaesthesia
• central venous catheter: femoral >> subclavian

Underlying conditions

• malignancy
• thrombophilia: e.g. Activated protein C resistance, protein C and S deficiency
• heart failure
• antiphospholipid syndrome
• Behcet's
• polycythaemia