Deep Vein Thrombosis is a part of a group of disorders which are collectively referred to as Venous Thromboembolic Diseases (VTE) . This group of disorders are characterized by formation of blood clots, abnormally, in the veins, arteries or the chambers in the heart. Worldwide, there are approximately 10 million cases every year.
DVT specifically refers to the abnormal clot formation in the veins. Patients with DVT may have various symptoms depending upon the veins involved; individuals with DVT of the veins in the calf may complain of cramps which intensify over several days. Other possible complains are pain, redness, swelling and warmth in the affected limb.
DVT can be caused by events which either lead to prolonged immobilization of a limb or an increase in the tendency of the blood to coagulate or cause damage to the inner lining of the vein. Prolonged immobilization of a limb occurs in individuals whose limb has been in a cast or has been bedridden for an extended time interval. There are many conditions which may cause an increase in the tendency of the blood to coagulate; these range from genetic disorders affecting clotting factors to malignancy, infections, some medications, and surgery.
Individuals with DVT may have complains of pain, redness, swelling, and a mild increase in temperature in the affected limb. DVT in the calf may lead to an experience of a cramp in the leg which intensifies over time. Many patients though have no complains and are asymptomatic.
The diagnosis of DVT is done by the combination of examination by the doctor and tests. Some of the tests done are:
The treatment for DVT aims to prevent recurrence and reduce further complications due to DVT and the therapy itself. Generally the initial treatment of DVT consists of:
Lower extremity DVT when left untreated may cause massive PE in about 3% of individuals. The probability of recurrence of DVT is the least in individuals with transient risk factors like surgery, cast or trauma; while the opposite is true for individuals with persistent risk factors like cancer. A Normal D-Dimer value after warfarin therapy is stopped indicates low risk of DVT recurrence.
This post was last modified on July 26, 2023 4:01 pm
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