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Know the signs of deep vein thrombosis

Many people don’t realize they may be at risk for a blood clot in the leg, which can travel to the lungs or heart. This is called a Deep Vein Thrombosis, and according to the U.S. Surgeon General, 350,000 to 600,000 people in the United States develop blood clots every year, with more than 100,000 deaths. This means that about 1 out of 3 people with venous blood clots die each year.

“Only 50% of those patients with a DVT have symptoms, making this silent killer extremely difficult to diagnose,” said Tom Hogan, a Griswold resident and Secretary and Treasurer for the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia (NATT). “This is compounded by the fact that 74% of Americans have no knowledge about DVT, its symptoms or risk factors. This is why raising awareness is so important.”

Deep vein thrombosis mainly affects the large veins in the lower leg and thigh. The clot can block blood flow. If the clot breaks off and moves through the bloodstream, it can get stuck in the brain, lungs, heart, or other areas, leading to severe damage.

Signs of a pulmonary embolism (a lung clot) can include sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heart rate or an unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody mucus. If you have these signs, you should get medical help immediately.

Herb Lustberg,MD, Section Chief of Interventional Radiology at Backus Hospital, said people should know what signs to look for.

Symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis can include leg pain in one leg, tenderness or swelling, increased warmth in one leg or redness. He said pain when flexing the foot down can also be a warning sign.

“If you have risk factors and symptoms, you should contact your primary care physician and go to the doctor’s office,” Dr. Lustberg said.

“You can get an ultrasound, it is an easy, painless test to determine if you do have a clot. If so, treatments need to be initiated pretty quickly.”

The usual treatment is blood thinning medication, either through an injection, IV or medication.

“A clot can snowball and get larger, so blood thinners prevent enlargement,” Dr. Lustberg said. “The body will dissolve the clot over time.”

If the situation is severe, catheters can be inserted to administer medication to dissolve the clot. This may be done to save the valves in the veins, which can be damaged.

Another treatment, which is performed by interventional radiologists, involves inserting a small filter in the large vein in the abdomen to prevent larger clots from getting through to the lungs.

“If the patient qualifies, this is an option, and we do have removable filters now, so it can be done for a period of time until the clot dissolves,” Dr. Lustberg said. “Not all patients need this type of treatment, but it is available.”

Risk factors for blood clots

High risk factors

Moderate risk factors