Also known as DVT

ABOUT THE DISEASE

Deep vein thrombosis commonly referred to as DVT, is a blood clot (thrombus) that forms in a deep vein in the body, usually in the legs. These blood clots occur when blood thickens and clumps together. It can cause leg pain or swelling, but can also occur with no symptoms.

With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the majority of DVT’s are not life threatening. But it can be very serious, if blood clots in the veins break loose, travel through the bloodstream and lodge in a lung artery, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism-PE). PE is a potentially fatal condition if not treated immediately.

SYMPTOMS

Only about half of the people with DVT have symptoms. These signs and symptoms include:

• • Swelling in the affected area or along a vein in the leg
• • Pain or tenderness in the leg, which may be felt only when standing or walking
• • Increased warmth in the area that`s swollen or painful
• • Red or discolored skin on the leg.

Symptoms are quite different, if the clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE). The symptoms of PE include chest pain, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, or a cough. There may also be a feeling of apprehension, sweating, or fainting.

CAUSES

DVT is generally caused due to the underlying conditions:

• Slow or sluggish blood flow through a deep vein
• Tendency for a person’s blood to clot quickly
• Irritation, inflammation or injury to the inner lining of the vein
• Due to limited movement, such as after surgery or an accident, or when patient is confined to bed.

DIAGNOSIS

- Clinical Evaluation/Physical Examination
- Doppler ultrasound
- Blood Test - to measure “D-dimer” level
- Venography
- CT or MRI scan

TREATMENT METHODS

Treatment depends on the site and extent of the clots. Small clots may not need treatment if they are confined to the calf and the patient is mobile.

Otherwise, Deep vein thrombosis treatment options include:

1. Treated with Blood thinners or anticoagulants, in the form of oral medicines or intravenous injectable medications
2. If you have a more serious type of DVT or PE, or if other medications aren`t working, then doctor might prescribe drugs that break up clots quickly, called Clot busters or thrombolytics.
   These drugs are either given through an IV line to break up blood clots or through a catheter placed directly into the clot. These drugs can cause serious bleeding, so they`re generally reserved for severe cases of blood clots.
3. If patients can`t take medicines to thin your blood, you might have a filter inserted into a large vein — the vena cava — in your abdomen. A vena cava filter prevents clots that break loose from lodging in your lungs.
4. To help prevent swelling associated with DVT, Compression stockings are worn on legs from the feet to the level of knees.This pressure helps reduce the chances that your blood will pool and clot. One should wear these stockings during the day for at least two years, if possible.
5. If there is a high risk of pulmonary embolism, thrombectomy (surgical removal of the clot) may be performed.

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