OBJECTIVE: Venous thromboembolism is a condition of great interest to public health, as it is potentially preventable and has a high morbidity and mortality potential. Knowing the real-world data in a country of continental dimensions such as Brazil is essential to help define health policies that enable proper diagnosis and treatment of this disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence and in-hospital mortality rates of venous thromboembolism in public hospitals under Brazil's public health system.

METHODS: This is a population-based, cross-sectional, retrospective analysis of all hospitalizations for venous thromboembolism in the Brazilian public health system between 2008 and 2022. Using a public database, all hospital admissions for thromboembolic events were selected, defining the incidence, in-hospital mortality, and differences between Brazilian macro-regions.

RESULTS: A total of 700,315 admissions for venous thromboembolism were documented in the Brazilian public health system between 2008 and 2022, which represents 3.02 admissions per 10,000 inhabitants per year. The Southeast region accounted for more than half (54.5%) of the hospitalizations. The highest incidence of hospitalizations occurred in the wealthiest regions (Southeast and South), while the lowest incidence was observed in the poorest regions (North and Northeast). On the other hand, a higher proportion of in-hospital mortality was observed in the North and Northeast regions.

CONCLUSION: The highest admission rates were registered in wealthier regions, while a higher proportion of deaths was found in the poorer ones. This may reveal the difficulty in accessing healthcare services in the North and Northeast regions, which is reflected in the potential underdiagnosis of thromboembolic events in these regions.