Abstract
The Venous Forum embarked upon the VEnous INtervention (VEIN) Project in an attempt to help define the ‘standard of care’ for patients in the UK presenting with venous disease. VEIN 1 dealt with varicose veins and VEIN 2 with chronic venous insufficiency. VEIN 3 now focuses on the important topic of venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE is an important cause of preventable death in all healthcare settings and its prevention has recently been made a priority for the NHS. There is ample evidence to show that, at present, VTE is often treated poorly and that preventive measures are frequently used inconsistently; VTE is also an important cause of complaint and medicolegal activity.
The nine chapters in VEIN 3 are aimed at the multidisciplinary teams involved in the day-to-day care of patients with VTE as well as at allied health professionals and healthcare commissioners. Some sections deal mainly with prevention while others are concerned with diagnosis or treatment. We very much hope that VEIN 3 will help reduce unnecessary deaths and suffering consequent upon VTE.