Basics of diagnosis and treatment of venous thromboembolism

The article discusses venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, noting that it is common and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It explains that VTE symptoms are nonspecific, but established diagnostic strategies combining clinical probability scores and D-dimer testing can help identify low-risk patients where VTE can be safely excluded without imaging. For patients with confirmed VTE, the article emphasizes that anticoagulation remains the primary treatment approach.