Intelligent Health.tech Issue 14 | Page 44

REGIONAL

R E G I O N A L C H E C K - U P

MIDDLE EAST

HOW CAN MEDTECH SU MANAGEMENT IN THE M

Venous thromboembolism ( VTE ) – also known as deep vein thrombosis ( DVT ) – is a significant and global health issue with rising prevalence in many regions , particularly the Middle East . In this article , Bernard Ross , CEO at Sky Medical Technology , tells us how MedTech can support VTE management .

VTE is both dangerous and comes with a high economic burden . It occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein – typically in the leg – slowing and blocking effective blood flow . Often considered a silent killer due to its quick development and lack of symptoms , it can spiral into more severe cases as blood clots travel from the leg to more essential organs such as the lungs . This can result in a life-threatening pulmonary embolism ( PE ) which can trigger a stroke or heart attack .

Awareness , identification and prevention
Recent clinical data exploring VTE prevalence in the Middle East focuses on Saudi Arabia , the largest nation in the Middle East . A recent study found that VTE levels are high in Saudi Arabia , particularly compared to other regions . It is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among hospitalised patients in the country – with risk appearing to increase the longer a patient stays in hospital . Despite this , awareness
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