October 13, 2014 12:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time

DUBLIN, Ireland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of a global effort to highlight the threat posed by venous thromboembolism (VTE), Covidien plc today announced it will support the inaugural World Thrombosis Day campaign as a Global Partner. Developed by the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH), the campaign will use October 13, 2014 as an opportunity to highlight the burden and the risk of morbidity and mortality1 associated with VTE.

“Thrombosis is the underlying cause of the top three cardiovascular killers worldwide, highlighting the need to educate health care providers and patients on treatment and prevention of this condition,” said Nigel Key, a hematologist with UNC Health Care and the UNC School of Medicine and chairman, ISTH. “We must work together and remain committed long-term to achieve our collective goal of reducing deaths and disability from thrombosis.”

VTE is a disease that includes both deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT is the formation of a blood clot in the deep veins (usually in the legs). These blood clots can break off and travel to the lungs where it becomes PE. It is a common and potentially deadly disorder that is underdiagnosed. In fact, VTE is the number three cardiovascular killer worldwide,2 and is a major contributor to the global burden of disease.

Risk factors VTE include increasing age, prolonged immobility, malignancy, major surgery, multiple trauma, prior VTE, and chronic heart failure.3 However, VTE is also a preventable disease. In a recent study of immobile stroke patients, clinicians utilized intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC), a therapy that utilizes compression sleeves to gently massage the legs to increase blood flow. The study demonstrated a 29.9 percent decrease in the development of proximal DVT in patients who received IPC. Furthermore, compared to the routine care group, the IPC group also showed a 14 percent mortality risk reduction during the first six months after hospital admission for stroke.4

“Covidien is committed to raising awareness of this potentially deadly yet largely preventable disease,” said Brian Verrier, president, Peripheral Vascular, Covidien. “The sponsorship of World Thrombosis Day builds on our investment in educational campaigns, such as the One in 1,000 program, to educate both patient and health care professionals about the frequency and severity of VTEs.”

About the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)

Founded in 1969, the ISTH is the leading worldwide not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of thrombotic and bleeding disorders. The ISTH is an international membership organization with nearly 4,000 clinicians, researchers and educators working together to improve the lives of patients in more than 90 countries around the world. Among its highly regarded activities and initiatives are education and standardization programs, research activities, meetings and conferences, peer-reviewed publications and expert committees. Visit ISTH online at www.isth.org.

About Covidien

Covidien is a global health care leader that understands the challenges faced by providers and their patients and works to address them with innovative medical technology solutions and patient care products. Inspired by patients and caregivers, Covidien’s team of dedicated professionals is privileged to help save and improve lives around the world. With more than 38,000 employees, Covidien operates in 150-plus countries and had 2013 revenue of $10.2 billion. To learn more about our business visit www.covidien.com or connect with us on Twitter.

1 Blann, A. Lip, G. Venous thromboembolism. BMJ. Jan 28, 2006; 332(7535): 215–219. doi: 10.1136/bmj.332.7535.215PMCID:

2 International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis. What is Thrombosis? http://www.worldthrombosisday.org/thrombosis/

3 Anderson, F., Spencer, F. Risk Factors for Venous Thromboembolism. Circulation. 2003. doi: 10.1161/01.CIR.0000078469.07362.E6

4 Dennis MS, Sandercock P, Reid J, et al. Effectiveness of Intermittent Pneumatic Compression in Reduction of Risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Patients Who Have Had a Stroke (CLOTS 3): a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial. The Lancet. Published online May 31, 2013.

Contacts

Vascular Therapies
David Young, 508-452-1644
Manager, External Communications
David.young@covidien.com
or
Coleman Lannum, CFA, 508-452-4343
Vice President
Investor Relations
cole.lannum@covidien.com
or
Peter Lucht, 508-452-4168
Vice President, External Communications
Corporate Communications
peter.lucht@covidien.com
or
Todd Carpenter, 508-452-4363
Director
Investor Relations
todd.carpenter@covidien.com