March is DVT Awareness Month among the medical community. DVT stands for deep vein thrombosis, which refers to the formation of blood clots inside the large veins.
Simply put, DVTs are blood clots that can kill, affecting 2 million Americans each year. Why should women in particular worry? It's because estrogen can increase the risk of developing a blood clot. The good news is that DVTs can be prevented.
DVT are more likely to develop in large veins such as those in the legs that return blood to the heart under low pressure. Because the blood flow is not under much pressure, it can easily pool inside a vessel if you are not actively moving around - sort of like when a film forms on pudding cooling in a cup.
Blood clots are also more likely to form in the event of an injury to the blood vessel. Just as when your skin gets cut and a clot forms so you won't bleed continuously, the injury inside a vessel must also form a "scab."
Unfortunately, sometimes a clot like this can break off and travel to the lungs, leading to a serious condition called pulmonary embolus, or PE. Large PEs can interfere both with the lungs' ability to oxygenate the blood cells and also with the heart's ability to pump blood.
The classic symptom announcing the development of a DVT in the legs is calf pain, with swelling of the affected leg. However, since no symptom can tell you for sure, the goal of DVT Awareness Month is really to remind physicians to be on the alert to evaluate for a blood clot whenever any of the following DVT risk factors exist:
- Forced immobility, as when in the hospital or on a long flight
- Smoking
- Pregnancy
- Family or personal history of a clot
- Estrogen use, as in oral contraceptives
- Heart or lung diseases, particularly congestive heart failure and COPD
- Surgery
- Cancer
Now let's talk about steps you can take to prevent your ever having a DVT:
- Know your risk. Ask your parents and grandparents about any history of blood clots or unexpected sudden deaths.
- Do not smoke, or else quit now.
- Take frequent breaks when seated for long distances. Get out of the car and walk around. On plane rides, walk in the aisle regularly, or do isometric contractions of your entire legs from the feet to hips. Stay well hydrated, too.
- Ask your doctor what you can do if you are hospitalized. Depending on your situation, they may recommend a preventive treatment called DVT prophylaxis.
- Don't delay seeking medical help if you suspect you've developed a clot. When your life is on the line, will you really care if it turns out to be nothing?
An ultrasound will quickly show whether a DVT has formed and allow for the immediate use of life-saving blood thinners. In some cases, a simple blood test will be enough; other times, however, a CT scan of the lungs may be needed.
