Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition that describes clots forming in veins throughout the body. These clots can prevent blood from returning to the heart – putting you at risk for vein damage, pain and swelling. When DVT is left untreated, these clots can cut off blood flow to your extremities resulting in limb loss, or they can travel to different parts of the body.
“When these clots travel to your lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism,” says Miles Jackson, M.D., a vascular surgeon at Henry Ford Health. “This is a critical situation that requires immediate medical attention. Pulmonary embolisms account for 100,000 deaths each year in America, so educating patients about how to prevent and manage DVT is our biggest focus.”
Understanding And Diagnosing Thrombosis
Blood clotting isn’t always bad. In fact, your blood is supposed to clot when you get a cut as your body’s natural defense to stop the bleeding. But other factors can impact your body’s ability to form clots that can put you at greater risk of developing DVT. This includes:
- Smoking
- Taking certain medications
- Cancer
- Chemotherapy
- Blood clotting disorders
- Chronic inflammatory disorders
Your risk for DVT also increases with inflammatory conditions. You may be at greater risk following:
- Surgery
- Trauma
- Recent long-distance travel
- Pregnancy
- Illness
- Long periods of immobilization (such as an extended hospital stay or bedrest)
“Because of these factors, DVT can impact people at any age,” says Dr. Jackson. “However, your greatest risk factor is a previous diagnosis of DVT. Even with successful treatment, 30-50% of patients will see a recurrence in 5 to 10 years.”
Vascular Disease At Henry Ford
Most people with DVT will notice the swelling and pain first. You may notice an asymmetry in your limbs as a result of the swelling or, in extreme cases, have an extremity swell up very quickly. In both cases, it is best to schedule a visit with your doctor.
Deep vein thrombosis is diagnosed in a few different ways. The most common is a blood test that looks for a protein called D-dimer that is associated with clot formation. Your doctor can also use an ultrasound of the veins to identify any potential clots that have formed. Often, patients are diagnosed with DVT before being referred to a vascular disease specialist to explore treatment options.
How Doctors Treat DVT
Most often, an at-home treatment regimen is effective in improving your condition. Your doctor may provide recommendations based on the severity of your symptoms and risk factors. Some common at-home treatments include:
- Compression garments: Available over the counter and at most drug stores, compression socks and sleeves help promote circulation and blood flow to your extremities.
- Elevation: Elevating swollen limbs can help extra fluid circulate back toward the heart.
- Anticoagulation medication: A pill you take 1-2 times per day to prevent your blood from clotting. (If you are in the hospital, this can be given through an IV.) In most cases, patients need to be on anticoagulation medication first before more invasive treatment options are considered.
If your symptoms are more severe or your doctor is concerned about clots moving towards your heart or lungs, they may recommend surgery to remove. There are two interventional therapies that are commonly used to treat these clots:
- Thrombolysis: Medications are infused into the veins to dissolve blood clots and prevent new clots from forming.
- Thrombectomy: The clot is removed from the vein or artery to restore normal blood flow.
“A vascular surgeon can perform these procedures both minimally invasively and through traditional open surgery,” says Dr. Jackson. “Which option is best for you depends on your individual case and risk factors.”
While the duration of treatment depends on the risk factors involved and your ability to continue to manage your condition, most patients will see improvement after a few months. Long-term complications can be expected – swelling in the lower extremities may occur more frequently without a secondary diagnosis of DVT. Post-thrombotic syndrome is also common. This condition can cause pain or swelling in the extremities because of inflammation, scarring and clotting after DVT. Pay attention to your symptoms and contact your doctor immediately if you notice a change or worsening in the pain or swelling.
Reviewed by Dr. Miles Jackson, a vascular surgeon who sees patients at Henry Ford Allegiance Vascular Health in Jackson.
