How do blood clots in the leg form. What are the risk factors for developing a blood clot. What symptoms indicate a potentially dangerous blood clot. How can blood clots be prevented and treated. Why are blood clots often misdiagnosed.

The Silent Killer: Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

Blood clots that form in the deep veins of the legs, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pose a significant health risk that is often underestimated. These clots can become life-threatening if they break loose and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). The gravity of this condition is highlighted by alarming statistics: between 350,000 and 600,000 Americans develop these clots annually, with at least 100,000 succumbing to them.

The former Acting Surgeon General, Dr. Steven Galson, described DVT as a “silent killer” due to its challenging diagnosis. Many people, including healthcare professionals, are unaware of the seriousness of this condition and the steps that can be taken to prevent it. This lack of awareness contributes to the high mortality rate associated with DVT and PE.

Recognizing the Symptoms: When to Seek Medical Attention

Identifying the symptoms of a blood clot in the leg is crucial for timely intervention. Common signs include:

• Swelling in the affected leg
• Pain, especially in the calf area
• A warm spot or redness on the leg
• Discoloration of the skin

If the clot has traveled to the lungs, additional symptoms may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Pain when breathing deeply

It’s important to note that these symptoms can be subtle and easily overlooked. How quickly should you seek medical attention if you suspect a blood clot? If you experience any of these symptoms, especially if you have known risk factors, it’s crucial to contact a healthcare provider immediately or go to the emergency room. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can be lifesaving.

Risk Factors: Who is Most Susceptible to Blood Clots?

Understanding the risk factors for DVT and PE is essential for prevention and early detection. Several conditions and circumstances can increase the likelihood of developing a blood clot:

1. Recent surgery or bone fracture
2. Prolonged immobility (e.g., long flights, bed rest)
3. Pregnancy or use of hormonal contraceptives
4. Advanced age (especially over 65)
5. Obesity
6. Smoking
7. Genetic predisposition

Why does immobility increase the risk of blood clots? When movement is restricted, blood flow slows down, allowing cells to stick together more easily and form clots. This is why it’s important to move regularly, even during long periods of sitting or bed rest.

The Genetic Factor: Hidden Risk

Some individuals may have genetic conditions that increase their risk of blood clots without causing any other noticeable symptoms. This underscores the importance of sharing family medical history with healthcare providers. If a close relative has experienced a blood clot, it’s crucial to inform your doctor, as this could indicate a hereditary risk factor.

Misdiagnosis: A Common and Dangerous Problem

One of the most concerning aspects of DVT and PE is the frequency of misdiagnosis. Even with clear symptoms, patients can be turned away or given incorrect diagnoses. The case of Le Keisha Ruffin illustrates this problem starkly. Despite multiple visits to doctors and emergency rooms with leg and groin pain following childbirth, her symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as related to her C-section scar.

Why are blood clots often misdiagnosed? Several factors contribute to this issue:

• Symptoms can mimic other conditions
• Lack of awareness among some healthcare providers
• The condition crosses multiple medical specialties

How can patients advocate for themselves if they suspect a blood clot? Be persistent in describing your symptoms and risk factors to healthcare providers. If you’re not satisfied with the response, seek a second opinion or go to the emergency room, especially if symptoms worsen.

Prevention Strategies: Reducing Your Risk of Blood Clots

While not all blood clots can be prevented, there are several strategies that can significantly reduce your risk:

1. Stay active and avoid prolonged periods of immobility
2. If you have to sit for long periods, perform leg exercises or take regular breaks to walk
3. Stay hydrated, especially during travel
4. Maintain a healthy weight
5. Quit smoking
6. If prescribed, use blood thinners as directed
7. Wear compression stockings if recommended by your doctor

For those undergoing surgery, it’s crucial to discuss blood clot prevention with your healthcare team. Why is this particularly important for surgical patients? Surgery increases the risk of blood clots due to immobility during recovery and potential damage to blood vessels during the procedure. Your doctor may recommend preventive measures such as blood thinners or compression devices.

Treatment Options: What to Expect if Diagnosed with a Blood Clot

If a blood clot is diagnosed, prompt treatment is essential. The primary goals of treatment are to prevent the clot from growing, stop it from breaking loose and traveling to the lungs, and reduce the risk of future clots. Common treatment options include:

• Anticoagulant medications (blood thinners)
• Thrombolytic therapy (clot-busting drugs) for severe cases
• Vena cava filters to prevent clots from reaching the lungs
• Compression stockings to reduce swelling and prevent blood pooling

How long does treatment typically last? The duration of treatment can vary depending on the individual case and underlying risk factors. Some patients may need to take blood thinners for several months, while others with recurrent clots or genetic predispositions may require lifelong treatment.

The Economic Impact: Healthcare Costs and Prevention Incentives

The prevalence of DVT and PE not only takes a toll on human lives but also has significant economic implications. To address this, Medicare has implemented financial incentives for hospitals to prioritize blood clot prevention. Starting October 1, 2024, Medicare will withhold payment from hospitals when patients develop blood clots after knee or hip replacement surgery.

Why focus on these specific surgeries? Knee and hip replacements are common procedures that carry a high risk of blood clots due to the nature of the surgery and the recovery process. By incentivizing prevention in these cases, the hope is to reduce the overall incidence of hospital-acquired blood clots.

The Role of Healthcare Providers

Healthcare providers play a crucial role in preventing and diagnosing blood clots. However, studies suggest that about one-third of patients who need protective blood thinners when entering the hospital for major surgery don’t receive them. This highlights the need for improved education and protocols among medical professionals.

What steps are being taken to address this issue? The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has issued comprehensive guides for both consumers and healthcare providers. These resources aim to improve awareness, risk assessment, and treatment protocols for DVT and PE.

Public Health Initiatives: Raising Awareness and Improving Outcomes

Recognizing the severity of the problem, public health officials have launched initiatives to increase awareness and improve outcomes related to blood clots. The Surgeon General’s campaign aims to bring national attention to DVT and PE, similar to the spotlight placed on cigarette smoking in the mid-1960s.

Key components of this public health effort include:

• Educational campaigns for the general public
• Improved guidelines and training for healthcare providers
• Increased funding for research into prevention and treatment
• Collaboration across medical specialties to improve diagnosis and care

How can individuals contribute to these efforts? By educating themselves and others about the risks and symptoms of blood clots, people can play a crucial role in early detection and prevention. Sharing personal stories, like that of Le Keisha Ruffin, can also help raise awareness and potentially save lives.

Emerging Research: Future Directions in Blood Clot Prevention and Treatment

As medical understanding of blood clots continues to evolve, researchers are exploring new avenues for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Some promising areas of research include:

1. Advanced imaging techniques for earlier detection
2. Novel anticoagulants with fewer side effects
3. Personalized risk assessment tools using genetic markers
4. Innovative devices for preventing clots during long periods of immobility

What potential breakthroughs are on the horizon? While it’s difficult to predict specific outcomes, the increased focus on blood clot research is likely to yield improved diagnostic tools and more targeted treatments in the coming years. This could lead to better outcomes for patients and a reduction in the overall mortality rate associated with DVT and PE.

The Importance of Clinical Trials

Clinical trials play a crucial role in advancing our understanding and treatment of blood clots. These studies help researchers evaluate new medications, prevention strategies, and diagnostic techniques. For individuals at high risk of blood clots, participating in a clinical trial may provide access to cutting-edge treatments and contribute to the broader body of knowledge on this critical health issue.

Living with the Risk: Long-Term Management and Quality of Life

For individuals who have experienced a blood clot or are at high risk due to genetic factors, long-term management is essential. This often involves ongoing medical care, lifestyle modifications, and vigilant monitoring for symptoms. While the prospect of living with this risk can be daunting, many people successfully manage their condition and lead fulfilling lives.

Key aspects of long-term management include:

• Regular follow-up appointments with healthcare providers
• Consistent use of prescribed medications
• Lifestyle modifications to reduce risk factors
• Emotional support and stress management
• Education about warning signs and when to seek emergency care

How can individuals maintain a good quality of life while managing blood clot risk? Developing a strong support system, staying informed about the latest research and treatment options, and maintaining open communication with healthcare providers are all crucial elements. Many patients find that joining support groups or connecting with others who have similar experiences can be incredibly helpful in navigating the challenges of living with this condition.

The Role of Exercise in Prevention and Recovery

While prolonged immobility is a risk factor for blood clots, appropriate exercise can play a vital role in both prevention and recovery. Regular physical activity helps improve circulation, maintain a healthy weight, and reduce overall cardiovascular risk. However, it’s essential for individuals with a history of blood clots or those at high risk to consult with their healthcare provider before starting any new exercise regimen.

What types of exercises are beneficial for blood clot prevention? Low-impact activities such as walking, swimming, and cycling can be excellent options for many people. These exercises promote blood flow without putting excessive strain on the body. Additionally, specific leg exercises can be particularly helpful in preventing blood clots during periods of prolonged sitting or bed rest.

The Global Perspective: Blood Clots as a Worldwide Health Concern

While the statistics and initiatives mentioned earlier focus primarily on the United States, it’s important to recognize that blood clots are a global health issue. The risk factors and challenges associated with DVT and PE are present worldwide, though awareness and access to treatment can vary significantly between countries and regions.

International efforts to address this health concern include:

1. Collaborative research initiatives across borders
2. Standardization of diagnosis and treatment protocols
3. Global awareness campaigns to educate the public and healthcare providers
4. Efforts to improve access to preventive care and treatments in developing nations

How do different healthcare systems around the world approach blood clot prevention and treatment? While approaches may vary, there is a growing consensus on the importance of risk assessment, early intervention, and comprehensive patient education. Many countries are implementing screening protocols for high-risk patients and developing national guidelines for blood clot prevention in healthcare settings.

The Impact of Travel on Blood Clot Risk

As global travel becomes increasingly common, the risk of travel-related blood clots has gained more attention. Long-distance flights, in particular, have been associated with an increased risk of DVT due to prolonged periods of immobility in cramped conditions. This phenomenon, sometimes referred to as “economy class syndrome,” affects travelers regardless of the class of travel.

What precautions can travelers take to reduce their risk of blood clots? Some strategies include:

• Staying hydrated during flights
• Performing simple leg exercises while seated
• Taking regular breaks to walk and stretch on long flights
• Wearing compression stockings, especially for those at higher risk
• Discussing preventive measures with a healthcare provider before long trips, particularly for those with known risk factors

By implementing these precautions, travelers can significantly reduce their risk of developing a blood clot during or after their journey.

The Role of Technology in Blood Clot Prevention and Management

Advancements in technology are playing an increasingly important role in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of blood clots. From wearable devices that monitor activity levels and encourage movement to sophisticated imaging techniques that can detect clots earlier, technology is revolutionizing how we approach this health concern.

Some notable technological advancements include:

1. Smartphone apps that remind users to move regularly and track risk factors
2. Portable ultrasound devices for quick, non-invasive screening
3. AI-powered algorithms to assist in risk assessment and diagnosis
4. Telemedicine platforms that improve access to specialists for patients in remote areas

How are these technologies impacting patient care? By providing tools for early detection, improving patient education, and facilitating better communication between patients and healthcare providers, these technologies have the potential to significantly reduce the incidence of fatal blood clots. Additionally, they can empower patients to take a more active role in managing their health and understanding their risk factors.

The Future of Personalized Medicine in Blood Clot Prevention

As our understanding of genetics and individual risk factors improves, the field of personalized medicine is becoming increasingly relevant to blood clot prevention and treatment. This approach takes into account an individual’s unique genetic makeup, lifestyle factors, and medical history to tailor prevention strategies and treatments.

What might personalized blood clot prevention look like in the future? It could involve:

• Genetic testing to identify individuals at higher risk
• Customized prevention plans based on individual risk profiles
• Targeted medications that are more effective and have fewer side effects for specific genetic types
• Personalized monitoring schedules and intervention strategies

By tailoring prevention and treatment approaches to individual patients, healthcare providers may be able to more effectively reduce the incidence of blood clots and improve outcomes for those at risk.

Leg pain can signal deadly blood clot

Far too many Americans are dying of dangerous blood clots that can masquerade as simple leg pain, says a major new government effort to get both patients and their doctors to recognize the emergency in time.

“It’s a silent killer. It’s hard to diagnose,” said acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson, who announced the new campaign Monday. “I don’t think most people understand that this is a serious medical problem or what can be done to prevent it.”

At issue are clots with cumbersome names: A deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, forms in large veins, usually a leg or the groin. It can quickly kill if it moves up to the lungs, where it goes by the name pulmonary embolism, or PE.

These clots make headlines every few years when seemingly healthy people collapse after long airplane flights or being in similarly cramped quarters. Vice President Cheney suffered one after a long trip last year. NBC correspondent David Bloom died of one in 2003 after spending days inside a tank while covering the invasion of Iraq.

Risk rises with age

But that provides a skewed vision of the problem. While there aren’t good statistics, the new surgeon general’s campaign estimates that every year, between 350,000 and 600,000 Americans get one of these clots — and at least 100,000 of them die.

There are a host of risk factors and triggers: Recent surgery or a broken bone; a fall or car crash; pregnancy or taking birth control pills or menopause hormones; being immobile for long periods. The risk rises with age, especially over 65, and among people who smoke or are obese.

And some people have genetic conditions that cause no other symptoms but increase their risk, making it vital to tell your doctor if a relative has ever suffered a blood clot.

People with those factors should have “a very low threshold” for calling a doctor or even going to the emergency room if they have symptoms of a clot, said Galson, who issued a “call to action” for better education of both consumers and doctors, plus more research.

Symptoms include swelling; pain, especially in the calf; or a warm spot or red or discolored skin on the leg; shortness of breath or pain when breathing deeply.

But here’s the rub: Doctors are ill-informed, too. For example, studies suggest a third of patients who need protective blood thinners when they enter the hospital for major surgery don’t get them. And patients can even be turned away despite telltale symptoms, like happened to Le Keisha Ruffin just weeks after the birth of her daughter, Caitlyn.

Ruffin made repeated visits to doctors and emergency rooms for growing pain in her leg and groin in December 2003 and January 2004, but was told it must be her healing Caesarean section scar.

Finally one night, Ruffin’s husband ran her a really hot bath for pain relief — only to have her climb out minutes later with her leg swollen three to four times its normal size, and then pass out.

“I like to call that my miracle bath,” Ruffin said, because the sudden swelling proved the tip-off for doctors.

Pieces of a giant clot in her right leg had broken off and floated to her lung. The ER doctor “said if I hadn’t made it in when I did, I may not have lived through the rest of the night,” recalled Ruffin, now 32, who spent a month in the hospital and required extensive physical therapy to walk normally again.

National spotlight

These clots “tend to fall through the cracks” because they cross so many areas of medicine, said Dr. Samuel Goldhaber, chairman of the Venous Disease Coalition and a cardiologist at Boston’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital.

With the surgeon general’s campaign, “DVT after all these years will finally get the national spotlight like cigarette smoking did in the mid-60s,” he said.

In addition to Galson’s report:

• The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is issuing a 12-page booklet to help consumers tell if they’re at risk for DVTs and what to do — and a 60-page DVT treatment-and-prevention guide for doctors and hospitals.
• As a prevention incentive, starting Oct. 1 Medicare will withhold payment from hospitals when patients develop the clots after knee-or hip-replacement surgery.

How to Spot a Blood Clot | Denver Trial Attorney Blog

blog home Personal Injury Signs That You May Have a Blood Clot

By lladmin on December 26, 2020

Blood clots are one of the leading causes for death in the United Sates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one American dies of a blood clot every six minutes. Shockingly, many medical professionals overlook the signs of blood clots, and fail to catch the issue in time to administer proper care. Knowing the signs yourself can help you determine when you need emergency treatment.

The Danger of Blood Clots

A blood clot is a small lump of blood cells that have fused together in a hardened state. Everyone develops blood clots at some point in their lives, as these clots help people from continuing to bleed after suffering a cut. They are, essentially, scabs. However, when clots detach from the inside of a blood vessel and begin to travel through the bloodstream, they can become very dangerous.

A blood clot can float freely until it reaches a vessel too tight to pass through. At that point, it will become stuck, blocking blood to the vessel’s end destination. This may happen in an arm or leg, or it could happen in the heart, brain, or lungs. Wherever blood travels, so can a blood clot, meaning a clot can become lodged almost anywhere in the body.

Blood clots become particularly dangerous when they reach the heart, brain, and lungs. There, they can cause extreme damage, such as a stroke or heart attack, or organ death due to lack of oxygen. If these clots are not treated swiftly, they will likely become fatal. That is why medical professionals need to suspect blood clots first when a patient has symptoms or is in a high-risk group.

How to Spot a Blood Clot

Not everyone who has developed a blood clot shows symptoms, which can make it difficult to detect. In fact, late diagnosis is one of the leading causes of blood clot fatalities. However, even when symptoms do become apparent, they are often chalked up to other disorders, leading to an incorrect diagnosis. Knowing the signs can help you identify when you may have a blood clot, and allow you to get emergency care as soon as possible.

If you have a blood clot in your arm or leg, known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), then you may experience:

• Swelling in the impacted limb
• Pain or tenderness in the impacted limb
• Abnormally warm skin in the impacted limb
• Discoloration of the skin on the impacted limb, usually red or blue

However, if you have a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or heart (cardiac embolism), then your symptoms can include:

• Difficulty breathing
• Coughing up blood
• Shortness of breath
• Intense chest pain
• Irregular or fast heartbeat

If you have a blood clot in one of the arteries leading to your brain, you may have an ischemic stroke. However, strokes, especially in low-risk patients such as people below the age of 60, can be overlooked by medical professionals. Symptoms of an ischemic stroke include:

• Difficulty speaking
• Difficulty understanding others
• Paralysis of the face
• Difficulty seeing out of one or both eyes
• Intense headaches
• Difficulties maintaining balance and walking

Always keep in mind that blood clots are life-threatening. If you are unsure as to whether you are suffering from a blood clot, get checked out anyway. This is especially important these days because COVID-19 places people at a higher risk for developing blood clots — if you have been treated for COVID recently, you are a high-risk blood clot patient.

How Hospital Stays Can Harm

It is possible that your blood clot came about as the result of medical malpractice, especially if you developed it after a surgery or a lengthy stay in the hospital. Being confined to a hospital bed, or being unconscious for several hours during a surgery, can increase your chances of developing a deadly blood clot. Doctors and surgeons can minimize the formations of a blood clot in these cases, but often neglect to do so.

For example, during surgery, a serial compression device could be used on your limbs to promote proper blood floor. Or doctors could administer a blood-thinning, anti-coagulant drug to prevent your blood from clotting. Despite having these tools, medical professionals often overlook the risk of blood clots, which leads to patients becoming ill or even dying.

Seek Medical Help

If you are showing signs of a blood clot, then you need to seek medical help as soon as you can. DVT is not immediately life-threatening, which means you can call you general practitioner and set up an appointment. However, if you have the symptoms of a heart, lung, or brain-related clot, visit the emergency room immediately.

If you believe that you suffered a blood clot due to the actions of a medical professional, then you should file a lawsuit. Getting compensation, however, will require the help of a top medical malpractice attorney. Thankfully, you can find plenty of them at our firm, Leventhal Puga Braley P.C. Call us at (303) 759-9945 or toll-free at (877) 433-3906 to schedule a no-cost consultation.

Patients — What does it mean “a blood clot has come off” and how to prevent it — No varicose veins, laser surgery clinic in Yekaterinburg, laser treatment of varicose veins Yekaterinburg, removal of spider veins, appointment with a phlebologist in Yekaterinburg, appointment with a vascular surgeon, treatment of varicose veins on the legs, sclerotherapy

Answers to popular questions about thrombophilia

Doctors of the Varicose No clinic regularly undergo training and internships with the most powerful and eminent doctors in Russia

Photo: Dmitry Emelyanov

Everyone often hears about the sudden death of an acquaintance. This causes regret and surprise: “So young! What’s happened?” The answer can be overwhelming: suddenly a blood clot broke off in the morning. Just yesterday, a person lived, laughed, talked with his loved ones, made plans for the New Year, dreamed … And the saddest thing is that no one is safe from this.

Increasingly, the press reports on the sudden death of celebrities, the cause of which is a detached blood clot. According to rough estimates, more than ten million people die every year due to the separation of blood clots. Thrombophilia kills more people than cancer and AIDS combined. This review contains the main questions about a dangerous disease, the answers to which everyone should know.

Why is thrombosis dangerous?

The main danger of thrombophilia is suddenness. If a clot clogs the pulmonary artery, the patient dies suddenly, within seconds. A person may not suspect problems until the last moment. When a blood clot breaks off and an artery is blocked, he does not have time to seek help and escape.

org/Person”> Photo: Dmitry Emelyanov

How do blood clots appear?

The cause of thrombophilia is varicose veins. Most people do not pay attention to swelling, cramps, pain, fatigue in the legs … And these symptoms are the first signal to be examined by a vascular surgeon, diagnose the cause and undergo treatment. An untimely visit to a doctor and self-medication leads to the most terrible consequences!

Photo: “No varicose veins”

How to cure varicose veins and prevent thrombosis?

You need to be examined by a phlebologist – undergo an ultrasound scan and get a doctor’s opinion. The clinic of laser surgery “Varicosis No” uses the most modern methods of treating varicose veins – laser treatment, sclerotherapy, miniphlebectomy. All methods are painless and performed without anesthesia.

Which clinic to choose to treat varicose veins? “are regularly trained and trained by the most powerful and eminent doctors in Russia. And this time one of the most famous vascular surgeons in the country Khachatur Kurginyan comes to the Yekaterinburg branch of the federal network of clinics, which has existed for many years.

He is the head of the surgical department of the research center for preventive medicine, a member of the Association of Angiologists and Vascular Surgeons of Russia, the International Society of Thrombosis and Hemostasis and the European Society of Vascular Surgeons, as well as a mentor to phlebologists “No Varicose Veins”.

During the arrival of Khachatur Kurginyan, the doctors of the clinic will assist him and at the same time learn the latest technology during operations. In addition, vascular surgeons practice in other cities and countries, improving their skills. The No Varicose Veins team employs doctors of the first and highest categories, they perform more than 10,000 laser surgeries a year.

Photo: Dmitry Emelyanov

How much does the treatment cost?

First of all, the specialists of the Varicose No network are focused on the health of their patients, so the pricing policy here is one of the most loyal in Yekaterinburg. Treatment can be done in installments without interest. As a bonus, the clinic offers to pass all the necessary tests for free before the operation and receive compression underwear. Non-residents are provided with hotel accommodation for the duration of treatment.

Thrombus detachment: causes, symptoms and consequences. Why death occurs from a blood clot – December 20, 2019

A floating (moving) blood clot in a vein in the leg is a very dangerous condition reasons death that a person hears about. As a rule, this is how sudden and sudden death is explained. How do blood clots (blood clots that can be up to several centimeters in size) appear? Why are they coming off? How to protect yourself from this? We talked about this with Dmitry Kopaev, a cardiologist at the Seredavin Regional Hospital.

Dmitry Kopaev was born in 1989 in Togliatti. Graduated from SamGMU. Since January 2014, he has been working as a cardiologist in the specialized department of the Seredavin Regional Hospital

org/Person”> Photo: Alexey Noginsky

be damage to the inner shell for some reason) and slowing down blood flow.

When people say “a blood clot has broken off”, it is most often referred to as pulmonary embolism (PE). The lumen of a large vessel is clogged with one or more blood clots, and this causes disturbances in the entire cardiovascular and respiratory systems. PE can be a complication of venous thrombosis and thrombophlebitis. But not every detached blood clot and not every PE leads to death. Let’s take a closer look.

– Dmitry Evgenievich, what are the main causes of blood clots?

– There is a hereditary predisposition, and there are secondary causes associated with several factors. One of them is over 45 years old. For example, the risk of thromboembolism occurs in women over 40–45 years of age when taking oral contraceptives. They should be used only when absolutely necessary after consultation with a gynecologist. Moreover, if a woman once had vein thrombosis, for example, then these drugs are contraindicated, since the risk of PE in this case is extremely high. Also on the list are overweight, psycho-emotional stress, low and excessive physical activity, nervous overload.

Truckers who spend a huge number of hours driving trucks are also at risk

Photo: Roman Danilkin

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— Which thrombosis (the process of forming blood clots in the circulatory system) is more dangerous?

– The most dangerous are pulmonary embolism and coronary thrombosis, which leads to myocardial infarction. Chronic diseases are also aggravating circumstances. Thrombosis of the artery of the brain is also dangerous, this is already a stroke clinic. Myocardial infarction, as a rule, is not asymptomatic, this condition is preceded by pressing pain behind the sternum, aggravated by exercise. Pain when pressing a finger, when turning – not cardiac.

In general, all thromboses are dangerous. At any moment, a floating (moving) blood clot in a vein in the leg can also appear. This is a very dangerous condition. If such a blood clot is seen in a patient during a planned ultrasound of the vessels of the lower extremities, then he is urgently hospitalized.

– In all cases, a detached blood clot leads to death?

– Not in all. But if a blood clot breaks off, it will definitely find a place for itself. Pulmonary thromboembolism is perhaps one of the most dangerous cases. There are several symptoms of this condition. Against the background of complete health, shortness of breath occurs, the body cannot bear physical exertion, the heart rate rises, pressure decreases, the upper body begins to turn blue. In all these conditions, you should immediately call an ambulance.

Such a defibrillator is used by cardiologists to “start” the heart of their patients

Photo: Alexey Noginsky

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There are lightning-fast forms of pulmonary thromboembolism – everything develops in a few seconds. A large clot clogs the pulmonary artery, and the heart stops instantly. And it is impossible to predict such thromboembolism. The only case when the situation can be predicted is a floating thrombus in the vein of the lower extremities detected in time and the therapy carried out, because sooner or later it will be brought to the lungs through the circulatory system. But such a blood clot may not manifest itself in any way, and a person may live and not even suspect that he has it.

There are also more benign cases. If the thrombus is not very large, and the vessel is not completely clogged, then the person has a chance to wait for an ambulance. In the hospital, the patient will have an ultrasound of the lower extremities. If a person has low blood pressure, but his condition is stable, then he is also given a CT scan of the chest organs with the introduction of iodine-containing contrast. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then doctors decide on the issue of therapy – to administer a drug that destroys blood clots, or a drug that prevents them from forming. Or they will surgically remove the clot and insert a stent in this place, which maintains the width of the vessel.

Stent is a special elastic metal or plastic structure made in the form of a cylindrical frame, which is placed in the lumen of hollow organs and provides expansion of the area narrowed by the pathological process. The stent provides the patency of physiological fluids by expanding the lumen of a hollow organ (artery, esophagus, intestines, bile ducts and ureter).

– Is it possible to find out in advance about your predisposition to thrombosis?

— If one of the relatives already had thrombosis, then you need to be thoroughly examined already at the age of 20. Usually in this case, very high cholesterol, even at an early age. If there is no such predisposition, then you need to pay attention to the indicators of platelets and hematocrit in the general blood test. If they are above the norm by 10-15 units, then it’s okay. If we are talking about a constant excess of the norm by 50-100 or more units, then you need to be examined. If necessary, doctors will prescribe him drugs to thin the blood.

Possible thrombosis can also be detected during a general blood test

Photo: Roman Danilkin

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— How to protect yourself from thrombosis?

– It is impossible to completely protect yourself and prevent thrombosis, you can only reduce the likelihood of its occurrence. Give up smoking, lead a healthy lifestyle, maintain physical activity (it is not necessary to go to the gym, it is enough to walk at least 10 thousand steps a day). It is also necessary to exclude animal fats and sausages from the diet in excess and supplement it with substances such as omega-3 (found only in red fish) and omega-6. I draw your attention to the fact that you should not practice taking any drugs prescribed to yourself “for prevention”.