Management of venous thromboembolism in athletes

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common condition with high associated morbidity and mortality. Athletes have unique VTE risk factors compared with the general population, and may have a higher than anticipated risk of thrombosis. Anticoagulant treatment poses additional challenges in athletes, as these individuals usually wish to return to sporting activities without delay. In addition, those athletes who engage in contact sports may have bleeding complications with extended anticoagulation. In this paper, we discuss VTE risk factors in athletes, the impact of exertion on haemostasis, measures which could be adopted to mitigate VTE risks in these highly active individuals and options to deal with bleeding risks from anticoagulation during injury-prone sporting activities.

Automated summary

VTE is a common condition with high morbidity and mortality. Athletes have unique risk factors for VTE and may have a higher risk of thrombosis than expected. Anticoagulant treatment can be challenging for athletes who want to return to sports quickly, and those engaging in contact sports may face bleeding complications with extended anticoagulation.