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What Are The Risk Factors For Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Several factors can increase a person's risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) development. Examples include injury to the veins, hormonal changes, reduced blood flow, certain health conditions, and more.
DVT is a blood clot that occurs in a vein deep within the body, typically in the leg. DVT risk factors may be transient, or temporary, such as pregnancy or recovering from surgery. They can also be persistent, such as cancer or living with a chronic health condition.
Knowing a person's risk factor for DVT can help healthcare professionals identify and treat DVT faster if it occurs. It can also allow a person to take steps to help reduce their risk.
This article reviews the various risk factors for DVT and discusses prevention tips, when to contact a doctor, and more.
Injury to veins can increase the risk of a person developing DVT. Some causes of vein injury include:
Hormone changes can influence the risk a person has for developing DVT. In particular, an increase in estrogen can increase a person's risk of DVT.
Some causes of estrogen increase include:
Reduced blood flow can increase the risk of DVT development.
Inactivity may cause reduced blood flow in several people. Factors that can result in inactivity and increase the risk include:
Wearing a cast following an injury may also reduce blood flow.
Certain medical conditions and infections can increase the risk of DVT.
Some chronic conditions that may increase a person's risk include:
Infections such as sepsis and COVID-19 may also increase a person's risk of DVT.
Other factors can contribute to DVT risk. They include:
A person can inherit some risk factors for DVT.
The identified inherited clotting disorders that can increase the risk of DVT include:
Having a non-O blood group and a family history of DVT or pulmonary embolism increases the risk of DVT.
The exact number of people who develop DVT is unclear. Estimates suggest that about 900,000 people will develop venous thromboembolism — either DVT or a pulmonary embolism — each year in the United States.
Approximately 60,000–100,000 people will die due to venous thromboembolism each year.
Knowing the risk factors and taking steps to reduce these can help a person reduce the likelihood of developing DVT.
A person may be able to take steps to reduce the likelihood of developing DVT.
Steps a person can take to help reduce their risk include:
Wearing graduated compression stockings may also help reduce the risk of DVT. A doctor can advise on what class of compression stockings a person should wear and for how long they should wear them.
A person should contact a doctor if they develop symptoms that could indicate DVT. These include:
A person can also contact their doctor for advice if they have concerns about the risk factors for DVT. Their doctor can assess their risk and advise on steps they can take to reduce the likelihood of developing the condition.
The doctor can also advise on suitable treatments for DVT. Treating DVT can help reduce the risk of pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal in some cases.
Learn more about the symptoms of DVT.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has several potential risk factors. They include injury to veins, chronic health conditions, infections, surgery, and trauma. Other factors that may increase the likelihood of developing DVT include hormone changes, obesity, smoking, and being over the age of 40 years.
A person can contact their doctor for advice if they have concerns about the risk factors for DVT. The doctor can recommend lifestyle changes to help manage the risk. In some cases, they may also recommend medications such as anticoagulants.
People should also contact a doctor if they develop symptoms of DVT, such as pain or tenderness, swelling, or feeling of firm veins.
What To Know About Pulmonary Embolism?
A pulmonary embolism is a blockage in the pulmonary artery that supplies blood to the lungs. The blockage, usually caused by a blood clot, impairs oxygenation of the blood and can damage the heart. This means it can be life threatening.
The word "embolism" comes from the Greek émbolos, meaning "stopper" or "plug."
In a pulmonary embolism, the embolus forms in one part of the body and circulates throughout the blood supply. It then blocks the blood flowing through a vessel in another part of the body, namely the lungs. Blood clots often develop in the leg, which is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
This article lists the symptoms of pulmonary embolism and outlines its diagnosis and treatment options.
Although the exact number of those affected by pulmonary embolism or DVT is unknown, it may affect as many as 900,000 people in the United States each year.
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute notes that a person may not experience any symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. Others may experience symptoms that develop within seconds to minutes or over days to weeks. The symptoms can also start mild and become more severe.
Common symptoms include:
Less common symptoms include:
Severe symptoms call for immediate emergency medical assistance. More severe cases may result in shock, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, and death.
Treatments for a pulmonary embolism aim to:
The main treatment option for pulmonary embolism is anticoagulation.
A doctor will prescribe anticoagulants or blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, heparin, or direct oral anticoagulants, to stop blood clots from getting bigger and prevent new clots from forming.
They may administer an anticoagulant as soon as they suspect a pulmonary embolism before they have made a definitive diagnosis.
A person will then need to take anticoagulants for approximately 3 months or longer.
For large blood clots causing severe symptoms or complications, a doctor may prescribe an intravenous thrombolytic. However, these carry a high risk of excessive bleeding. Thrombolytics include Activase, Retavase, and Eminase.
In emergencies, a person may require surgery, such as catheter-assisted blood clot removal. A catheter-assisted blood clot removal requires a surgeon inserting a flexible tube to reach the blood clot in the lung. They can then insert a tool to break up the clot or administer medication.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when an embolus, usually a blood clot, blocks the blood flowing through an artery that feeds the lungs.
A blood clot may start in an arm or leg, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).
After that, it breaks free and travels through the circulatory system toward the lungs. When the embolus is too large to pass through the small vessels, it forms a blockage.
This blockage stops blood from flowing into a part of the lung. This causes the affected section of the lung to die through lack of oxygen. The blood clot can also cause pressure to build in the right side of the heart, eventually causing heart failure.
Rarely, a pulmonary embolism can result from an embolus that is formed from fat droplets, amniotic fluid, or some other particle that enters the bloodstream.
The risk factors for developing a pulmonary embolism can be genetic or acquired.
Some acquired risk factors include:
To reduce the risk of developing a blood clot or pulmonary embolism, a person can:
A person undergoing surgery should discuss a plan to prevent blood clots with a healthcare professional. They will also advise on how to prevent blood clots during the recovery period.
Those with a high risk of developing pulmonary embolism may require anticoagulant medications.
To reach a diagnosis, the doctor will look at the person's history and consider whether they are likely to have an embolism. They will carry out a physical examination. Doctors may find it challenging to make a diagnosis because other conditions have similar symptoms.
The doctor may perform the following tests:
A doctor may also perform other imaging tests so they can look at the veins and the function of the heart and lungs.
With effective and timely treatment, most people who experience a pulmonary embolism can make a full recovery. However, the condition can carry a high risk of fatality without timely intervention.
A person's outlook can also be affected depending on the underlying condition that caused the blood clot or pulmonary embolism.
A pulmonary embolism is a blockage in the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery supplies blood to the lungs. The blockage, which usually occurs due to a blood clot, prevents the oxygen from reaching the lungs.
Anyone experiencing symptoms of a pulmonary embolism should seek urgent medical help. This is because timely treatment and diagnosis can improve a person's outlook. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, high heart rate, and pain when breathing deeply.
Treatment often involves anticoagulant medications. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary.
Venous Thrombosis
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