Deep Vein Thrombosis - What Happens
If you have symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, testing will begin immediately to find out whether you have a blood clot in your leg.
Often people with deep vein thrombosis do not have any symptoms. In these people, this condition is usually suspected only after a blood clot is discovered in the lung (pulmonary embolism). Typically, the blood clot in the lung came from a deep vein clot in the leg that was not causing symptoms.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis -- a blood clot in a deep vein -- may be difficult to identify. That's because DVT symptoms are similar to many other health problems. If you're at risk for DVT -- you are over 60, you smoke, you are overweight, you sit for long periods of time -- stay alert to DVT symptoms. If you have symptoms, learn what you can do to confirm a diagnosis.
Read the Symptoms and Diagnosis of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) article > >
When you are diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, treatment begins if it is likely that the blood clot will grow or that a piece of the clot might break loose and flow to the lungs (pulmonary embolism). If you have a blood clot in your upper (proximal) leg vein, you will likely need to take anticoagulant medicine for at least 3 months.
After 3 months, your doctor may recommend that you continue warfarin (such as Coumadin) on an ongoing basis to prevent deep vein clots from recurring.
Typically, if you have a blood clot in the lower (distal) deep leg veins, you will need to take medicine (anticoagulant medicine) for at least 3 months to prevent more blood clots. The length of time will vary based on your own health. Sometimes your doctor will not start this medicine right away. He or she will wait 24 to 48 hours to see if your blood clot is growing. For symptom relief, your doctor may recommend a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as ibuprofen.
The main goal of treatment is to prevent the blood clot from growing or moving to the lungs. If a blood clot in the deep veins of the leg breaks loose, it can travel to the lungs and block blood flow (pulmonary embolism). In people who receive treatment for deep vein thrombosis, the rate of pulmonary embolism falls drastically. For more information, see the topic Pulmonary Embolism.
Blood clots in the lung (pulmonary emboli) occur more often in people with deep vein blood clots in the upper rather than the lower leg veins. Only about 25% of blood clots in the veins of the calf will become larger and extend into the upper leg or groin veins.2 Blood clots that extend into the upper leg veins usually require treatment with anticoagulant medicine to prevent pulmonary embolism.
The recurrence rate for deep vein thrombosis varies depending on what caused the blood clot and how it was treated. Recurrence is most common in people who have continuing risk factors (such as cancer or inherited blood-clotting problems) and in people who have had more than one blood clot in the leg. Recurrence is lowest in people who have a short-term risk factor, such as surgery or temporary inactivity.
If you have had deep vein thrombosis, you are at risk for a condition called postthrombotic syndrome. This condition can cause pain, swelling, discoloration, and sores on the leg. Postthrombotic syndrome usually occurs within 2 years of the original blood clot. Compression stockings can lower your chance of developing postthrombotic syndrome.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
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