Surgeon General Focuses on DVT: How not to die from a blood clot in your leg–a doctor’s take
Thursday, September 18th, 2008
by James Hubbard, M.D., M.P.H.
For 2008 the U.S. Surgeon General’s call to action (the thing he or she wants to publicize nationwide, ie, his or her pet project) is to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. From the press release:
Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a deep vein, most commonly in the lower leg or thigh. The clot can block blood flow and cause pain, swelling, and skin discoloration.
DVT can be a problem in itself. Due to damaged veins, your leg may be chronically swollen for life, causing all sorts of problems. But the big risk is that sometimes, a piece of this clot can break off and go directly into the lung (pulmonary embolism) to cause serious damage or even death.
According to the surgeon general, each year there are 350,000 to 600,00 cases of DVT, with as many as 100,000 deaths.
DVT is not to be confused with superficial thrombophlebitis, which is inflammation of the veins near the skin surface. Varicose veins are prone to this condition, which is not susceptible to a pulmonary embolus. But how can you tell the difference if your leg is red and swollen? Well, you can’t. You will need to see a physician ASAP.
Obviously, you want prevent DVT. And you really, really want to prevent a pulmonary embolus, but how?
