title: Venous thromboembolism: the prevailing approach to diagnosis, prevention and treatment among Internal Medicine practitioners.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is the third most common cause of death and the leading cause of sudden death in hospitalized medical patients. Despite the existence of guidelines for prevention and treatment of this disorder, their implementation in everyday life is not always accomplished.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a survey among directors of Internal Medicine departments in our country in order to evaluate their attitude and approach to this issue. A questionnaire with pertinent questions regarding prevention and treatment of VTE, including deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) was sent to each one of the directors of Internal Medicine Departments around the country.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-nine out of 97 (71%) of the Internal Medicine departments directors responded the questionnaire. We found that several of the current guidelines were followed in a reasonable way. On the other hand, heterogeneity of responses was also present and the performance of current guidelines was imperfectly followed, and showed to be deficient in several aspects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An effort should be done in order to reemphasize and put in effect current guidelines for the prevention and treatment of VTE among hospitalists and Internal Medicine practitioners.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine A, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel - markel_ar@clalit.org.il.|Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel - markel_ar@clalit.org.il.
authors.forename: Arie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Markel
authors.affiliation: Hematology Unit, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors.forename: Israel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gavish
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine A, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.
authors.forename: Hila
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kfir
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine A, Haemek Medical Center, Afula, Israel.|Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rimbrot
mesh_terms: D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine; D007557:Israel; D010820:Physicians; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000175:diagnosis; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy