All about leg clots
Submitted by Kelly Galler on Wed, 2009-03-25 09:37
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Leg clots are also known as DVT: Deep Vein Thrombosis. A thrombus is a blood clot. This can be a serious condition that may cause permanent damage to the leg or cause a deadly complication of pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE is a blood clot that breaks free from a deep vein in your leg, travels through the blood and into your heart. From your heart, the clot is pumped to one of your lungs. This clot then blocks blood flow in your lungs and becomes a medical emergency which could result in death. DVT and PE are very serious conditions that we need to pay attention to.
Risk Factors:
- cancer
- certain heart or respiratory diseases
- previous DVT
- advanced age
- acute medical illness with decreased mobility
- clotting or coagulation disorder
- inflammatory disorders
- stroke
- obesity
- smoking
- major surgery
- broken hip or leg
- pregnancy
- restricted mobility from long-distance traveling
- birth control pills
- hormone replacement therapy
- trauma
Get checked by your doctor if you have these symptoms:
DVT:
- calf or leg pain or tenderness
- swelling of the leg or lower limb
- increased visibility of veins on surface of leg
- discoloration or redness to affected area
- skin that is warm to touch
- half of all DVT episodes may not have symptoms
- muscle strain, skin infections, inflammation of the veins may have similar symptoms
PE:
- shortness of breath
- a feeling of apprehension or "impending doom"
- rapid pulse
- sweating
- sharp chest pain the worsens with deep breathing
- fainting
- bloody sputum (coughing up blood)
- heart attack and pneumonia may mimic PE
More information:
