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| FEBRUARY 2009 |
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Inside Deborah Heart and Lung CenterDeborah Heart and Lung Center at your service
200 Trenton Road
eHeartLink is designed to provide general health news and wellness information. This information is not designed to, nor should it, be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment or nutrition or exercise program.
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Blood clot in the leg: A cause for concern
A blood clot in a deep leg vein isn’t apt to send someone rushing off to a doctor. That’s because this type of clot—called a deep venous thrombosis, or DVT—is often symptomless. It usually goes away on its own, and as long as it stays put, it’s not likely to be dangerous. But DVT doesn’t always stay put. Sometimes a fragment breaks off and travels through the bloodstream. When that happens, it’s called an embolus. If the embolus gets carried to the heart, it may end up in an artery that delivers blood to the lungs. At that point, it becomes a life-threatening crisis known as “pulmonary embolism.”
Pinpointing the clot
How can a doctor identify DVT? A common test is Doppler ultrasound scanning, which uses sound waves to form a picture. Other methods include contrast venography. an X-ray taken after injecting contrast material into the leg veins; impedance plethysmography, which measures blood flow in the legs; platelet scintigraphy, which traces clots through the veins; and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Who’s at risk?
Although sometimes DVT just happens, most cases occur after surgery, especially following procedures that take place near the pelvis or upper leg. However, any condition that immobilizes a person can raise risk, and susceptibility to DVT rises with age and obesity.Keeping the vessels open
In-bed exercises can prevent DVT in surgical patients. Sometimes anticoagulant drugs are given during and after an operation to prevent clots from forming.Anticoagulant drugs or thrombolytic drugs are administered during an episode of DVT to dissolve the clot.
Going the distance
Sitting still for long periods of time, as on an airplane or a cross-country bus ride, can lead to deep venous thrombosis. Here are a few precautionary measures:
• Get up frequently from your airplane or bus seat and walk up and down the aisle.
• Stop every hour or so during long car rides.
• Reposition your legs often.
• Don’t cross your legs.
• Keep your feet elevated whenever possible.
