WHAT IS A DVT?

Have you ever heard of a DVT, but are not sure exactly what it is?

A DVT stands for a Deep Venous Thrombosis. More than one Million people suffer from DVT's each year, and out of those, 100,000 people die of a DVT each year in the United States. A DVT does not descriminate, and it can and has affected people of all ages.

A DVT is a blood clot or thrombosis which is in a deep vein in the leg or the pelvis. An embolism is also another name for a blood clot, like a PE or a pulmonary embolism which is a blood clot which travels to the lungs but originates in the leg.

Symptoms of a DVT which you can actually see in the leg include
1- Significant swelling of one leg compared to another

2- Pain and tenderness of one leg which is unrelated to a trauma.

Some signs of a PE or Pulmonary Embolism are
1- Shortness of Breath
2- Chest pain, especially while breathing in
3-Coughing up Blood
4-Sudden Collapse

Some of the risk factors which may lead to blood clots include:

1- Major surgery

2-Cancer
3-Trauma to the leg
4-Immobility

5-Pregnancy

6-Birth control or hormone replacement therapy
7-History of a prior DVT or PE
8-Obesity

There are several ways in which to prevent a DVT from occurring. Mainly, you must stay active and move your legs frequently. Making sure you take walks each and every day is very important. By doing this, you will also maintain your weight at a certain level.
If you smoke, you must stop or try to stop smoking; as a smoker you have a greater risk of developing a DVT or a PE.

If you do have any chest pain, you must report this right away!

The treatment for a DVT is immediate. You will be admitted to the hospital and you will be placed on anticoagulant therapy, such as coumadin or heparin in order to thin your blood. This will decrease the ability of the blood to clot, thereby preventing any new clots from forming in your body, and not allowing the existing clots from getting any bigger. Your doctor may also give you compression stockings to wear daily in an effort to prevent future clots.

The best treatment for a DVT is prevention! Make sure you walk on a daily basis, and eat a balanced diet.