Be Alert: Thromboembolism Raises Risk for Mortality with COVID-19

The first evidence that rates of venous and arterial thromboembolism are high in patients with COVID-19 has arrived, in the form of an article just published in The Lancet’s online journal EClinicalMedicine. The meta-analysis of 42 studies involving 8,271 patients notes that rates range anywhere from 20% to 70% among patients who have been diagnosed with the virus. Overall mortality rate among patients with COVID-19 and thromboembolism was 23%, vs 13% without thromboembolism. The authors concluded that there is “a significant risk of thromboembolism and that strategies that succeed in preventing the development of thromboembolism could reduce COVID-19 mortality.” JUCM has published articles regarding management of thromboembolism in the urgent care setting. For a solid overview, read Management of Venous Thromboembolism in Urgent Care in our archive.