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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.”
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