RT Book, Section A1 Jameson, J. Larry A1 Fauci, Anthony S. A1 Kasper, Dennis L. A1 Hauser, Stephen L. A1 Longo, Dan L. A1 Loscalzo, Joseph SR Print(0) ID 1167067331 T1 Pulmonary Thromboembolism and Deep-Vein Thrombosis T2 Harrison's Manual of Medicine, 20e YR 2020 FD 2020 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260455342 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1167067331 RD 2023/06/06 AB Venous thromboembolism (VTE) includes both deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT results from blood clot formation within large veins, usually in the legs. PE results from DVTs that have broken off and traveled to the pulmonary arterial circulation. Isolated calf vein thrombi have much lower risk of PE. Although DVTs are typically related to thrombus formation in the legs and/or pelvis, indwelling venous catheters, pacemakers, and internal cardiac defibrillators have increased the occurrence of upper extremity DVT. In the absence of PE, the major complication of DVT is postthrombotic syndrome, which causes chronic leg swelling and discomfort due to damage to the venous valves of the affected leg. In its most severe form, postthrombotic syndrome causes skin ulceration. PE is often fatal, usually due to progressive right ventricular failure. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is another long-term complication of PE.