New Survey Shows Management of Blood Clots is Inconsistent, Even for Patients with the Same Risk Profile

Survey Conducted by the Get Out the Clot Campaign, an Initiative Focused on Identifying and Closing Gaps in Patient Care for Blood Clots

ALAMEDA, Calif., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Venous Forum (AVF), International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA), Penumbra (NYSE:PEN), The PERT Consortium® and Society for Vascular Medicine (SVM), which have come together to form the Get Out the Clot campaign, today announced findings from a new survey assessing the current state of venous thromboembolism (VTE) care, also known as blood clots in the body. Get Out the Clot is a collaborative educational initiative to help identify gaps in patient care related to blood clot conditions, including standardizing care and expanding access to the latest innovations to improve patient outcomes.

"The 'Get Out the Clot' collaborative campaign unites the expertise and resources of leaders in the field of thrombosis and hemostasis to raise global awareness, foster innovation and ultimately improve outcomes for individuals affected by blood clot conditions," said ISTH President Pantep Angchaisuksiri, M.D.

The survey, which included nearly 270 healthcare professionals, both interventional physicians (those who perform minimally invasive procedures) and non-interventional physicians (those who manage and treat blood clots using non-invasive methods) caring for VTE patients, found that:

• Only 56% of interventional physicians surveyed believe their protocols provide clear direction based on pulmonary embolism (PE) risk beyond medical management and approaches vary, even for patients with the same risk profile. Further, only 39% of interventional physicians surveyed believe that their protocols provide clear direction for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) treatment beyond medical management, and approaches vary across patient types.
• Interventional physicians stated in the survey that they prefer newer treatment options such as mechanical thrombectomy, including computer assisted vacuum thrombectomy (CAVT), in combination with anticoagulation for 33% of their high risk and 37% of their intermediate-high risk PE patients. For intermediate-low and low-risk patients, most preferred anticoagulation alone. 
• Nearly half of DVT patients are treated with anticoagulation alone. However, 71% of interventionalists surveyed state that they would like to see their hospital expand use of thrombectomy for DVT.

VTE affects up to 900,000 Americans annually, leading to approximately 100,000 deaths.[1] VTE encompasses deep vein thrombosis (DVT, where a clot forms in a deep vein) and pulmonary embolism (PE, which is a clot that blocks the arteries in the lungs). Unfortunately, there are significant gaps and discrepancies in caring for these thrombus conditions, such as with PE, where there are often delays in care (up to 26% of cases in one study) and misdiagnosis (up to 53% of patients in one study).[2]^,[3]

"The complexity of pulmonary embolism treatment cannot be overstated," said Herbert Aronow, M.D., MPH, Past President, Society for Vascular Medicine. "PE can be difficult to diagnose and, in many cases, if not treated quickly, can be life-threatening. Early identification is critical, and institutions must have a streamlined process to evaluate and treat patients."

Collaborating to Meet Patient Needs

Collaboration and communication among physicians are crucial in determining the most effective care paths for patients, especially in complex conditions like VTE.

"Blood clots are often complex and the symptoms easily overlooked by both patients and healthcare providers, as symptoms can mimic other non-life-threatening medical conditions," said Leslie Lake, volunteer president of the National Blood Clot Alliance. "These survey results provide a vital opportunity to highlight critical information and identify appropriate support across the healthcare system to improve care and outcomes."

More than half of physicians surveyed report that they do not have a formal response team (e.g., a pulmonary embolism response team (PERT), or a venous thromboembolism response team) at their institution. Formal response teams streamline care through a collaborative multidisciplinary approach by engaging experts with the knowledge of and access to a broad spectrum of resources and procedures, potentially improving patient outcomes.

Additionally, only 35% of physicians surveyed perceive the ultimate treatment decision is made by consensus among specialties, showcasing that collaboration amongst physicians continues to be limited.

"The gaps and discrepancies in VTE care demonstrate why it is critical that health systems across the U.S. standardize care through collaboration among medical specialties," said Rachel Rosovsky, M.D., MPH, Immediate Past President, The PERT Consortium.® "Studies have demonstrated that the formation of PERTs helps facilitate prompt diagnosis and the implementation of appropriate treatments in a judicious manner, leading to advancements in care, such as reducing the time to therapeutic anticoagulation – an essential aspect in PE care. Through PERTs and the adoption of efficient and effective practices, we can improve patient care and outcomes and ensure consistency of appropriate medical treatment across diverse patient populations."

The Next Phase of VTE Care

"Collaboration, innovation, and education will be the driving forces behind improving patient outcomes and providing consistent, high-quality care for all those affected by venous thromboembolism," said Mark D. Iafraiti, M.D., President Elect, the American Venous Forum. "By focusing on these priorities, we can create a more unified approach to VTE care, ensuring that patients receive timely, accurate diagnoses and the most effective care options available."

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of interventional physicians want to see expanded use of thrombectomy and CAVT at their hospitals for PE patients. These physicians believe the benefits of newer procedures, such as mechanical thrombectomy and CAVT, can improve patient outcomes, including minimizing ICU stays (57%) and rapidly improving hemodynamics (55%).

To achieve their goal of expanding use of thrombectomy in PE, the physicians surveyed believe their hospital would benefit from having more providers trained in these techniques.

"This survey sheds light on critical aspects of the current state of VTE care and the many opportunities to better align management protocols across the U.S. to work towards improving patient care," said James F. Benenati, M.D., FSIR, chief medical officer at Penumbra, the world's leading thrombectomy company. "At Penumbra, our focus is to continue to advance VTE care with technologies like CAVT, which has shown meaningful benefits on patient outcomes and the overall health systems."

To learn more about the survey and to help raise awareness of VTE symptoms and care options, visit www.GetOutTheClot.com.

About the Survey

The Get Out the Clot Survey was an online, quantitative opinion survey conducted by the American Venous Forum, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, National Blood Clot Alliance, Penumbra, The PERT Consortium® and the Society for Vascular Medicine. The survey was fielded between October and November 2024 and included responses from 269 healthcare professionals (HCPs; 143 of whom were interventionalist physicians and 126 of whom were non-interventionalist physicians) treating patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) including both pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

About Get Out the Clot

Get Out the Clot is a collaborative educational initiative uniting experts in venous thromboembolism (VTE) care to help identify gaps in patient care related to blood clot conditions, including standardizing care and expanding access to the latest innovations to improve patient outcomes. The campaign is led by the American Venous Forum, the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, National Blood Clot Alliance, Penumbra, The PERT Consortium®, and the Society for Vascular Medicine. The organizations involved with Get Out the Clot believe it is critical that health systems across the United States establish a standard of care for thrombotic conditions to help patients get diagnosed promptly and receive the most appropriate care. For more information about Get Out the Clot, visit GetOutTheClot.com.

About the American Venous Forum (AVF)

We are a diverse, dynamic, global organization committed to improving the care of those with venous and lymphatic disease. Our multi-specialty, multi-disciplinary membership of physicians, researchers and advanced practice providers embrace core values of integrity, inclusion, and scientific excellence in research. Those values drive us to provide increasingly quality care and seek ongoing improvement every day. www.venousforum.org  

About the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)

Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading international medical and scientific professional organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of conditions related to thrombosis and hemostasis. The ISTH professional membership community includes more than 7,000 clinicians, researchers and educators from more than 120 countries working together to advance science and improve clinical care around the world. Among its highly-regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and congresses, clinical and laboratory practice guidance and guidelines, peer-reviewed publications, expert committees and World Thrombosis Day on 13 October. Learn more at www.isth.org.

About National Blood Clot Alliance 

Founded in 2003, the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is the premier not-for-profit organization in the United States dedicated to advancing the prevention, early diagnosis, and successful treatment of life-threatening venous blood clots. NBCA brings together patients, caregivers, healthcare professionals, and advocates to raise awareness and improve the quality of care for those affected by blood clots. With a focus on education, advocacy, and patient support, NBCA's initiatives include patient-centered research collaborations, public awareness campaigns, peer support networks, and comprehensive VTE education. Learn more at www.stoptheclot.org.

About Penumbra 

Penumbra, Inc., the world's leading thrombectomy company, is focused on developing the most innovative technologies for challenging medical conditions such as ischemic stroke, venous thromboembolism such as pulmonary embolism, and acute limb ischemia. Its broad portfolio, which includes computer assisted vacuum thrombectomy (CAVT), centers on removing blood clots from head-to-toe with speed, safety and simplicity. By pioneering these innovations, Penumbra supports healthcare providers, hospitals and clinics in more than 100 countries, working to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. For more information, visit www.penumbrainc.com and connect on Instagram, LinkedIn and X.

About The PERT Consortium® 

The purpose of The PERT Consortium®  is to serve the general public by undertaking activities to advance the status of PE care and promote research in the treatment of pulmonary embolism. Specifically, the Consortium's purpose is to:

Promote the adoption of the PERT model in healthcare institutions across the United States to ensure the prompt diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism.

Expand the current body of scientific literature on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism through the funding of scientific endeavors.

Educate the general public and healthcare professionals regarding pulmonary embolism diagnosis, treatment, and care.

By focusing solely on the entity of pulmonary embolism – its etiology, pathophysiology, prevention, management approach, outcomes of specific treatments, and follow-up pathways – it is the intention of the Consortium to increase awareness of treatment options available to patients with PE, to reduce its incidence worldwide, to improve health outcomes, and to positively influence the impact of this terrible disease.

About the Society for Vascular Medicine

The Society for Vascular Medicine is a professional organization that aims to improve the integration of vascular biological advances into medical practice and to maintain high standards of clinical vascular medicine. The Society is distinguished by its emphasis on clinical approaches to vascular disorders. Optimal vascular care is best accomplished by the collegial interaction of a community of vascular professionals, including individuals with expertise in vascular medicine, vascular surgery, interventional radiology, vascular nursing, vascular technology, and other disciplines. The Society recognizes the importance of individuals with diverse backgrounds in achieving ideal standards of research and clinical practice. The Society encourages these individuals to join the Society and to help accomplish its clinical and scientific mission.

¹ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, June). Impact of Blood Clots on the United States Infographic. National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD). https://www.cdc.gov/blood-clots/toolkit/impact-of-blood-clots.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/infographic-impact.html. Accessed July 9, 2024.

² Chun Shing Kwok, Chun Wai Wong, Saul Lovatt, Phyo K Myint, Yoon K Loke, Misdiagnosis of pulmonary embolism and missed pulmonary embolism: A systematic review of the literature, Health Sciences Review, Volume 3, 2022, 100022, ISSN 2772-6320, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hsr.2022.100022.

(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772632022000113)

³ Hendriksen JM;Koster-van Ree M;Morgenstern MJ;Oudega R;Schutgens RE;Moons KG;Geersing GJ; (2017, March). Clinical characteristics associated with diagnostic delay of pulmonary embolism in primary care: A retrospective observational study. BMJ open. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28279993/

 

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SOURCE Get Out the Clot