DVT is a condition that occurs when blood clot forms in vein located inside your body.
DVT normally occurs in your thigh or lower leg, but can also develop in other areas of your body. A break in this blood clot can travel along with bloodstream in to pulmonary arteries and lead to pulmonary embolism.
Symptoms:
- Pain in your leg
- Red or discolored leg
- Warm sensation in affected leg
- Tenderness
- Enlarged veins
Cause:
- Deep vein thrombosis can develop if you have certain blood disorders that affect how your blood clots.
- It can also happen if you don’t move for long time, such as after surgery or an accident or when confined to bed due to broken bone or trauma
- Obese people are at risk of developing DVT 30% more than people who are not obese
- Smoking makes the cells stickier which harms the lining of blood vessels. smoking makes it easier for clots to form.
Complications:
- Pulmonary embolism: it occurs when blood vessel in the lungs are blocked by a blood clot that travels from distal parts of the body.
- Postphlebitic syndrome: Damage to your veins from blood clot reduces the blood flow in affected area, which can cause swelling, leg pain, skin discoloration and skin sores.
Diagnosis:
- Doctors examine the patient and based on the signs and symptoms would come to a diagnosis.
- Doctor would advise one of the investigations to confirm the diagnosis. It can be a lower extremity doppler ultrasound, venography and/or D-dimer
Treatment:
Deep vein thrombosis treatment options include:
-
- Blood thinners: deep vein thrombosis is mostly treated with anticoagulants called blood thinners such as heparin, warfarin which prevent the bloods ability to clot.
- Filters: A filter is inserted in the large vein in your abdomen which prevents the clots from reaching the lungs.
- Compression stocking: Compression stocking can prevent swelling and may lower your chance of developing clots.
Prevention:
- wear compression stockings
- keep your leg arm raised while at rest
- check with your doctor regularly
Consult your physician incase you suffer from above symptoms and get evaluated accordingly
–Dr.chandrashekar
Reference:
https://www.healthline.com/health/deep-venous-thrombosis#prevention
https://www.webmd.com/dvt/deep-vein-thrombosis-complications
#Thinkhealth blog 