Haverhill, MA, March 6, 2007 - The Merrimack Valley Hospital (MVH) today announced its support of the fourth annual National DVT Awareness Month. DVT Awareness by Design, a national grassroots educational campaign, is designed to engage action and boost public awareness of deep-vein thrombosis, a condition that kills more people in the United States than AIDS and breast cancer combined.  In March, MVH will host an in-service day to educate their medical and professional staff members about the importance of DVT Awareness.  Guest speakers from Sanofi Aventis Pharmaceuticals are scheduled to speak on DVT awareness.

As part of the DVT Awareness by Design program, professionals at MVH will go beyond building awareness of signs and symptoms of DVT by having every department in the hospital design and personalize socks to showcase what DVT means to them.  The socks will then be judged by a DVT committee and the winning department will be treated to a pizza party later in the month.

By designing a sock and wearing it proudly during DVT Awareness Month, participants will serve as an ambassador to educate colleagues, patients, friends and family about DVT prevention and treatment.  This campaign follows a print and broadcast public service announcement launch featuring media personalities, including NBC's Meredith Vieira, Al Roker and Campbell Brown, ABC Sports' Bonnie Bernstein and Coalition to Prevent DVT Spokesperson Melanie Bloom.

"We are proud to show our support for DVT Awareness Month by participating in DVT Awareness by Design and increasing awareness of the risk factors, signs and symptoms of DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE)," said MVH's Chief Nursing Officer Diane Lovallo, RN, NSN, MBA. "DVT Awareness by Design is an opportunity for the public and the healthcare community to learn about this preventable and often silent killer.  Pairing increased awareness of the risk factors with appropriate preventative measures can reduce the incidence of this condition."

"Participants in DVT Awareness by Design will serve as representatives for DVT awareness, helping foster a dialogue between patients and physicians. Further, putting names and faces to this dangerous condition will bring much-needed focus to treatment and prevention," said Melanie Bloom, National Patient Spokesperson for the Coalition to Prevent DVT.

DVT occurs when a blood clot forms and partially or completely blocks blood flow inside a deep vein, typically located in the calf or thigh. If the blood clot breaks free and travels to the lungs - known as a pulmonary embolism (PE), it may obstruct the pulmonary artery or one of its branches, blocking blood flow to the heart. Each year, DVT-related complications kill up to 300,000 Americans.

For more information about DVT Awareness by Design, visit www.preventdvt.org.

Up to 600,000 Americans are hospitalized each year for DVT and its primary complication, PE.  Fatal PE may be the most common preventable cause of hospital death in the United States.  Complications from DVT kill more people each year in the U.S. than breast cancer and AIDS combined.   

Certain individuals may be at increased risk for developing DVT, but the disease can occur in almost anyone. Additional risk factors include, but are not limited to, trauma or major surgery, such as hip or knee replacements, advanced age, oral contraceptives or hormone therapy.  It is important to consult your healthcare provider about the signs and symptoms associated with DVT. 

DVT Awareness Month is being sponsored by the Coalition to Prevent DVT to raise awareness of this serious medical condition among consumers, healthcare professionals, government and public health leaders.  The Coalition is comprised of more than 42 representatives from nationally known medical societies, patient advocacy groups and other public health organizations. 

Patient advocate Melanie Bloom will take part in media interviews, a public service announcement, a video news release and speaking events during DVT Awareness Month.

The mission of the Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis is to reduce the immediate and long-term dangers of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), which together comprise one of the nation's leading causes of death.  The Coalition will educate the public, healthcare professionals and policy-makers about risk factors, symptoms and signs associated with DVT, as well as identify evidence-based measures to prevent morbidity and mortality from DVT and PE.

The Coalition to Prevent Deep-Vein Thrombosis is funded by sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC.

Merrimack Valley Hospital (MVH) is a comprehensive medical facility featuring an award-winning 24-hour emergency department, inpatient acute care, and comprehensive diagnostic and outpatient services. MVH maintains 108 acute care beds, 16 transitional care beds, and 17 adult behavioral medicine beds; all are private rooms. More information can be found at www.merrimackvalleyhospital.com.

For more information, visit www.preventdvt.org