New map emerges of the global burden of venous thromboembolism

A collaborative research team is shedding light on the extent of the global burden of venous thromboembolism (VTE), the third most common cause of vascular death worldwide.

VTE, which includes deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, can be prevented using blood thinners. But VTE remains underdiagnosed and undertreated, and many patients lack access to treatment.
A global, multidisciplinary team of investigators, led by Behnood Bikdeli, MD, MS, and Gregory Piazza, MD, MS, of the Mass General Brigham Heart and Vascular Institute, examined available evidence of the burden of VTE worldwide and assessed outcomes for patients.

Using published studies and registries from 2012 onward, the team examined VTE incidence, mortality and recurrence across eight world regions and compared trends between 2012-2016 and 2017-2022.

They supplemented published reports with additional unpublished data, as needed, to provide reliable regional and global estimates.

They found that VTE remains a major global health problem and that, while estimates of incidence varied widely by region, approximately 1.6 million new cases of pulmonary embolism and 2.5 million new cases of deep-vein thrombosis occurred in 2019.

The true global burden is likely higher than this due to misclassification, underdiagnosis and other factors.

The incidence of pulmonary embolism appeared to be increasing in several regions, such as North America and parts of Asia, whereas the incidence of deep-vein thrombosis has remained relatively stable.

Outcomes also varied substantially across regions, with short-term, all-cause mortality after pulmonary embolism ranging from 1% to 9%. Equally important, the team identified several areas of data deserts that lacked reliable information on VTE incidence, outcomes or both.

The authors conclude that despite being one of the world's leading causes of vascular death, VTE remains understudied and undercounted in many regions.

Better global surveillance and standardized reporting will be essential to understand the true burden of the disease and improve prevention and treatment efforts.

Published in Nature Reviews Cardiology on Sept 27, 2026 | Read the paper: “Global burden of venous thromboembolism: incidence and outcome estimates of deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism”

Summary reviewed by: Behnood Bikdeli, MD, MS, lead author