Introduction to thrombosis proficient and cost-effective approaches to thrombosis.

Thrombosis is the most common single cause of death in the United States. More than 2 million people die each year of arterial or venous thrombosis or its consequences, and a similar number experience nonfatal thrombosis-deep vein thrombosis, nonfatal pulmonary embolus, nonfatal cerebrovascular thrombosis, transient cerebral ischemic attacks (40% of patients will have a fatal or nonfatal cerebrovascular thrombosis within 1 year), nonfatal coronary artery thrombosis, retinal vascular thrombosis, and other nonfatal thrombotic episodes. Yet many, if not most, episodes of thrombosis can be prevented by appropriate primary antithrombotic therapy, and most recurrences can be prevented by the appropriate choice of secondary therapy.