Each year, nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed with deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and nearly a quarter million Americans die from pulmonary embolism (PE). Great strides have been made over the past decade in understanding the disease process and optimizing strategies for prevention and treatment. As a result, clinical guidelines are being refined, and management pathways for diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) updated.

Challenging Cases: New Options in Managing Venous Thrombosis is a 4-part Tx Reporter newsletter series consisting of case studies that are designed to illustrate new options to important clinical problems. This series will discuss the latest innovations in diagnosis and management of VTE. In the first newsletter we consider challenges in diagnosing VTE, and discuss standard and new treatment options. In issues 2, 3, and 4 we consider cases of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, VTE in a high-risk patient undergoing abdominal surgery, and prevention and treatment of VTE in a hip fracture patient.

I hope you take this opportunity to register for your copies now.
I am sure you will find the series informative and useful.

Sincerely,

Chair

Jack Hirsh, MD Professor Emeritus Henderson Research Centre McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
FACULTY
Kenneth A. Bauer, MD Professor of Medicine Harvard Medical School Director, Thrombosis Clinical Research Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Boston, Massachusetts
James E. Bradner, MD Instructor, Harvard Medical School Dana Farber Cancer Institute Massachusetts General Hospital Brigham and Women's Hospital Cambridge, Massachusetts
Clifford W. Colwell, Jr, MD Director, Shiley Center   for Orthopaedic Research   & Education Scripps Clinic La Jolla, California
Alexander Graham Turpie, MD Professor of Medicine McMaster University Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Target Audience

This activity is provided for orthopedic surgeons, critical care clinicians, pulmonologists, and hematologists involved in the prevention and treatment of patients with venous thromboembolism.

Activity Goal

The goal of this 4-part CME activity is to examine and discuss current and emerging strategies for diagnosing and treating patients with DVT or PE.

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, the participant should be able to:

• Outline the coagulation cascade and compounds that inhibit the factor Xa and factor IIa
• Summarize the efficacy and safety issues surrounding emerging and current therapies for the management of venous thrombosis and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia
• Integrate emerging therapeutic interventions into treatment strategies for the prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis in both in-hospital and outpatient scenarios

top

CME Information

Statement of Accreditation

Projects In Knowledge is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Credit Designation

Projects In Knowledge designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 Category 1 credit toward the AMA Physician's Recognition Award. Each physician should claim only those credits that he/she actually spent in the activity.

This activity is planned and implemented as an independent CME activity in accordance with the ACCME Essential Areas and Policies.

Successful completion for up to 1.0 hour of CME credit requires a passing score of 70% or higher on the posttest. Full instructions for submission are included on the posttest at the end of the enduring material.

Disclosure Information

The Disclosure Policy of Projects In Knowledge requires that presenters comply with the Updated Standards for Commercial Support. All faculty are required to disclose any personal interest or relationship they or their spouse/partner have with the supporters of this activity or any commercial interest that is discussed in their presentation. Any discussions of unlabeled/unapproved uses of drugs or devices will also be disclosed in the course materials.

For complete prescribing information on the products discussed during this CME activity, please see your current Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR).

Kenneth A. Bauer, MD, is on the speakers bureau of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi Synthelabo Inc; is a consultant for AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, GlaxoSmithKline, and Pfizer Inc; and is on the advisory board of GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. Bauer has disclosed that he will reference unlabeled/unapproved use of fondaparinux.

James E. Bradner, MD, is on the speakers bureau of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, Organon USA Inc, and Sanofi Synthelabo Inc. Dr. Bradner has disclosed that he will reference unlabeled/unapproved use of fondaparinux.

Clifford W. Colwell, Jr, MD, has received grant/research support from AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP, Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc, Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc, and Pharmacia & Upjohn; and is on the advisory board of AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP and Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Jack Hirsh, MD, is on the speakers bureau of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi Synthelabo Inc.

Alexander Graham Turpie, MD, has received grant/research support from, is on the speakers bureau of, and is on the advisory board of Aventis Pharmaceuticals Inc, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Inc, and Sanofi-Synthelabo Inc. Dr. Turpie has disclosed that he will reference unlabeled/unapproved use of fondaparinux.

Peer Reviewer has disclosed no significant relationships.

The opinions expressed in this activity are those of the faculty and do not necessarily reflect those of Projects In Knowledge.

This CME activity is provided by Projects In Knowledge solely as an educational service. Specific patient care decisions are the responsibility of the physician caring for the patient.

Peer Review process directed by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine Office of CME. To find out more information click here.

Release Date:
June 20, 2005.

Termination Date:
June 20, 2006.

Estimated time for completion of this newsletter:
1 hour.

Order print copies

Click Here to Download a PDF of the Tx Reporter.

This independent CME activity is supported by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline.