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Marathon runners are exposed to multiple thrombogenic risk factors including dehydration and hemoconcentration, injury and inflammation, long-distance travel between events, and contraceptive usage. However, despite awareness about thromboembolism and several case reports detailing life-threatening hypercoagulopathies in athletes, the prevalence of venous thromboembolism in marathon runners remains uncharted. There is a lack of data and evidence-based guidelines for these athletes and for healthcare providers, including general medical practitioners and sports physicians. We present an episode of unprovoked deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) in a female marathon athlete who presented with atypical sequelae over the course of 8 months, and identify some "easy-to-miss" warning signs and symptoms. Through dialogue with the patient regarding their personal questions and anxieties surrounding idiopathic DVT-PE, we identify a clear need for more accessible information and comprehensive research concerning the detection, prevalence, and long-term management of venous thromboembolism in athletes. We discuss the possibility that being an athlete might constitute a more significant risk factor for venous thromboembolism than is currently estimated by commonly used diagnostic protocols and conclude that there is quite possibly a need for more specific clinical guidelines for athletes in this area.

Objective. To study the effects of applying an emergency department (ED) triage system, combined with extensive publicity in local media about the “right” use of emergency services, on the division of work between ED nurses and general practitioners (GPs). Design. An observational and quasi-experimental study based on before–after comparisons. Setting. Implementation of the ABCDE triage system in a Finnish combined ED where secondary care is adjacent, and in a traditional primary care ED where secondary care is located elsewhere. Subjects. GPs and nurses from two different primary care EDs. Main outcome measures. Numbers of monthly visits to different professional groups before and after intervention in the studied primary care EDs and numbers of monthly visits to doctors in the local secondary care ED. Results. The beginning of the triage process increased temporarily the number of independent consultations and patient record entries by ED nurses in both types of studied primary care EDs and reduced the number of patient visits to a doctor compared with previous years but had no effect on doctor visits in the adjacent secondary care ED. No further decrease in the number of nurse or GP visits was observed by inhibiting the entrance of non-urgent patients. Conclusion. The ABCDE triage system combined with public guidance may reduce non-urgent patient visits to doctors in different kinds of primary care EDs without increasing visits in the secondary care ED. However, the additional work to implement the ABCDE system is mainly directed to nurses, which may pose a challenge for staffing.