How does a blood clot in the leg become life-threatening. What are the risk factors for deep vein thrombosis. How can you recognize the symptoms of a pulmonary embolism. What preventive measures can reduce your risk of blood clots.

Understanding Deep Vein Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) are serious medical conditions that can indeed be life-threatening. DVT occurs when a blood clot forms in a large vein, typically in the leg or groin. If this clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, it becomes a pulmonary embolism, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

The gravity of this issue is highlighted by the staggering statistics: between 350,000 and 600,000 Americans experience these clots annually, with at least 100,000 fatalities. This silent killer often goes undiagnosed due to its elusive nature and the lack of awareness among both patients and healthcare providers.

The Mechanism of DVT and PE

How exactly does a blood clot in the leg become life-threatening? When a clot forms in a deep vein, it can partially or completely block blood flow. If a piece of this clot breaks off and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, it can obstruct a pulmonary artery, leading to a potentially fatal pulmonary embolism.

Identifying Risk Factors for Blood Clots

Understanding the risk factors for DVT and PE is crucial for prevention and early detection. Several conditions and circumstances can increase your likelihood of developing these dangerous clots:

• Recent surgery or bone fracture
• Prolonged immobility (e.g., long flights, bed rest)
• Pregnancy or use of hormonal contraceptives
• Advanced age, especially over 65
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Genetic predisposition

It’s important to note that some people may have genetic conditions that increase their risk without causing other symptoms. This underscores the importance of discussing family history with your healthcare provider.

Pregnancy and Hormonal Treatments

Why do pregnancy and hormonal treatments increase the risk of blood clots? During pregnancy, the body’s blood composition changes to prevent excessive bleeding during childbirth. However, this also increases the likelihood of clot formation. Similarly, hormonal contraceptives and menopause hormones can affect blood coagulation, potentially leading to an increased risk of DVT and PE.

Recognizing the Symptoms of DVT and PE

Early recognition of symptoms is crucial for timely intervention. The signs of DVT and PE can be subtle, but knowing what to look for can save lives.

Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis

• Swelling in the affected leg
• Pain or tenderness, often starting in the calf
• Warm skin on the affected area
• Redness or discoloration of the skin

Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism

• Sudden shortness of breath
• Chest pain, especially when breathing deeply
• Rapid heartbeat
• Unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody mucus

Is it possible to have a blood clot without noticeable symptoms? Yes, in some cases, DVT can occur without obvious signs, which is why awareness of risk factors and preventive measures is so important.

The Importance of Prompt Medical Attention

The story of Le Keisha Ruffin illustrates the critical need for timely diagnosis and treatment. Despite multiple medical visits, her symptoms were initially dismissed, highlighting a concerning gap in medical awareness. Her experience underscores the importance of persistent advocacy for one’s health when symptoms persist.

How quickly can a DVT become life-threatening? The progression from DVT to PE can be rapid and unpredictable. In some cases, a pulmonary embolism can occur within hours of a clot forming, emphasizing the need for immediate medical attention when symptoms arise.

Prevention Strategies for Blood Clots

While the risk of DVT and PE can never be eliminated entirely, several strategies can significantly reduce your risk:

1. Stay active and maintain a healthy weight
2. Take breaks to move around during long trips
3. Quit smoking
4. Stay hydrated
5. Consider compression stockings for long flights or if you have a high risk
6. Discuss prophylactic measures with your doctor before surgery or hospitalization

The Role of Blood Thinners

How do blood thinners help prevent DVT and PE? Anticoagulant medications, commonly known as blood thinners, work by interfering with the blood’s clotting process. They can be prescribed as a preventive measure for high-risk individuals or as treatment for existing clots. However, their use must be carefully monitored by a healthcare professional due to the increased risk of bleeding.

Improving Awareness and Medical Practice

The Surgeon General’s campaign aims to address the knowledge gap surrounding DVT and PE among both the public and medical professionals. This initiative includes:

• Educational resources for patients and healthcare providers
• Incentives for hospitals to implement better prevention protocols
• Calls for increased research into risk factors and treatment options

Why is there a lack of awareness about DVT and PE among healthcare providers? The multidisciplinary nature of these conditions means they often “fall through the cracks” of medical specialties. Improving education and creating standardized protocols across medical disciplines is crucial for better detection and treatment.

The Impact of Lifestyle on Blood Clot Risk

Our modern lifestyle has introduced new risk factors for DVT and PE that weren’t as prevalent in the past. Sedentary work environments, increased air travel, and rising obesity rates all contribute to the growing incidence of these conditions.

The Dangers of Prolonged Sitting

How does prolonged sitting increase the risk of blood clots? When we sit for extended periods, blood flow in the legs slows down, increasing the likelihood of clot formation. This is why it’s crucial to take regular breaks to move around, especially during long flights or car trips.

The Obesity Epidemic and Blood Clot Risk

Why does obesity increase the risk of DVT and PE? Excess body weight puts additional pressure on the veins in the legs and pelvis, potentially impeding blood flow. Additionally, obesity is often associated with other risk factors such as reduced mobility and chronic inflammation, further increasing the risk of clot formation.

Emerging Research and Future Directions

The field of thrombosis research is rapidly evolving, with new insights into risk factors, diagnostic techniques, and treatment options emerging regularly. Some areas of current focus include:

• Genetic markers for increased clotting risk
• Novel anticoagulant medications with improved safety profiles
• Advanced imaging techniques for earlier detection of DVT
• Personalized risk assessment tools

What role might artificial intelligence play in the future of DVT and PE prevention? AI-powered algorithms could potentially analyze vast amounts of patient data to identify subtle risk patterns and predict clot formation before symptoms appear, enabling proactive interventions.

The Promise of Personalized Medicine

How might personalized medicine change the approach to DVT and PE prevention? By analyzing an individual’s genetic profile, lifestyle factors, and medical history, healthcare providers could create tailored prevention strategies and treatment plans, optimizing outcomes and minimizing side effects.

The fight against deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism requires a multi-faceted approach involving public education, improved medical practices, and ongoing research. By raising awareness, implementing preventive measures, and seeking prompt medical attention when symptoms arise, we can significantly reduce the toll of these silent killers. As our understanding of these conditions continues to evolve, so too will our ability to prevent and treat them effectively, potentially saving countless lives in the process.

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”.