the recent coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has significantly increased the burden placed on healthcare systems worldwide. This health emergency has led to changes being implemented in the organization of health institutions and has shifted the focus on pandemic management. This has led to marked changes being made in the treatment of patients without COVID-19, and has resulted in more difficult access to healthcare, with ensuing delays in diagnosis and treatment. Vascular diseases, including peripheral artery disease (PAD), require prompt treatment in the majority of cases in order to save affected limbs. Moreover, COVID-19 may result in acute arterial and venous complications, which need to be promptly recognized and treated. The present study describes three paradigmatic clinical cases of hospitalized patients, which are representative of the different forms of the 'lost syndrome' caused by either the direct effect of COVID-19 or by the effects of COVID-19 on the healthcare system and lifestyle factors. Prophylaxis against arterial and venous thrombotic events is crucial in patients with COVID-19, particularly those with a marked inflammatory state. On the other hand, the CoVID-19 pandemic has diminished the access to healthcare system for patients with other chronic pathologies, with potential severe consequences for vulnerable patient groups, such as those with PAD and cardiovascular diseases. For these patients, the authors' experience over the last few months suggests that more suitable measures need to be adopted to avoid additional severe consequences on public health. In addition, it is necessary to identify pathways that will allow these patients to have rapid access to treatment with marked improvements in outcome.

Patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are at high risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and major adverse limb events (MALE). Recently, antithrombotic therapies employing antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs have proven to be valid in reducing MACE in patients with PAD and polyvascular disease and MALE, particularly in patients who have already been revascularized and remain at increased risk of MALE. However, more aggressive antithrombotic therapies lead to an increased risk of bleeding. Antithrombotic therapy and revascularization procedures entail an increased hemorrhagic risk that is also linked to having received more vigorous antithrombotic therapies. Therefore, it appears crucial to have specifically targeted scores for a PAD patient to assess bleeding and thrombotic risks. The correct utilization of a risk score will determine the variable risk factors for bleeding that can be corrected or modified, as well as identify patients at high risk that require regular reexamination and follow-up. Clinical risk scores do not represent the absolute reality, and inter-score variability must be taken into account. Moreover, several risk scores have been created to be basic and to facilitate and improve clinical decisions in daily practice. Many risk scores based on points vary according to the configuration of the studies, population type, and ethnic group, and many of the risk factor elements in a specific score are unlikely to sustain same weight for that risk. The best approach continues to be devising an uncomplicated, functional, validated, and precise score that can be adjusted to different clinical contexts and populations, while considering the mutable composition of clinical risk.

Cancer is a leading cause of death. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an often-overlooked cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients that can be readily prevented and treated. Actions are needed to reduce the morbidity and mortality of patients with cancer-associated thrombosis (CAT). There is a need to increase awareness of the impact of CAT on cancer patients’ morbidity and mortality, on their quality of life and to understand the importance of more effective preventions and treatments of VTE in cancer patients. Moreover, it is of great importance to systematically assess the risk of VTE in regard to patients, cancer and treatment-related factors. Unfortunately, there are unmet clinical needs in the prevention and treatment of cancer-associated VTE. In this review, we discuss an action plan to ensure an increased awareness of and education on the issues that need to be addressed in order to improve the provision of appropriate prevention, early diagnosis and effective and safe treatment of VTE to all cancer patients and, ultimately, to reduce morbidity and mortality.

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