The Dangers of Deep Vein Thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a dangerous symptom of vein disease that occurs in the deep veins of your legs. If you’ve developed any stage of vein disease, you’re at risk of developing this potentially life-threatening condition. Knowing the risks, though, will help you get medical treatment before it becomes serious.

At Heart Vascular & Leg Center, our expert team of vascular specialists understands how serious deep vein thrombosis can be. That’s why we offer state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment tools for our patients in the Bakersfield, California, area. Here’s what you need to know about DVT and its danger to your health.

The basics of vein disease

Vein disease is a progressive circulatory system problem that affects the structures returning blood to your heart. While your arteries transport oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your body, the veins help blood make the return trip. Unfortunately, though, veins have to transport blood against gravity’s pull. Your body compensates in two ways:

Calf and thigh muscles contract to push the blood upward
One-way valves close once the blood passes through, preventing backflow

When valves become damaged, though, say by the force of high blood pressure, they’re unable to close completely. The blood succumbs to gravity and flows backward along its path, pooling around the valves. This condition is called venous insufficiency, or chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), if it becomes a long-term problem.

One of CVI’s most noticeable symptoms is the engorged, colored swellings on the calves and thighs — varicose veins.

The dangers of DVT

Varicose veins are noticeable because the superficial veins fill with stagnant blood. However, if CVI and varicose veins aren’t treated, you can begin to experience symptoms in the deep veins of the leg tissue.

When blood flow is sluggish, the blood has a tendency to clot or form a mass. If a clot, or “thrombus,” forms in a deep vein, it further slows down blood flow and can even block it completely. This is deep vein thrombosis.

We should also note that clots can also form if the veins become narrow due to plaque build-up; if you sit for long periods, which impedes proper circulation; or if you’re on extended bed rest.

Though interfering with blood flow is serious enough, the greater danger of DVT is when a clot breaks free from the vein wall and travels with the blood to the lungs. There, it can block an airway, creating what’s known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). This is a life-threatening condition.

Am I at risk for DVT?

In addition to having early vein disease, you’re at risk for developing DVT if you:

Have high blood pressure
Weigh too much (increased pressure on veins)
Sit or stand for long periods
Use birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy
Smoke (leads to plaque formation)
Have medical conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease
Have a catheter placed in the vein

Your risk for DVT also increases if the condition runs in your family or if you’re over 50.

Symptoms of DVT

According to the CDC, DVT only produces symptoms in about half the people who have it. Knowing symptoms, though, can lead you to get medical help. Symptoms you may experience include:

Foot, ankle, and/or leg swelling
Muscle cramping
Severe pain near the blocked vein
Warm, tender skin over the vein
Pale blue or red skin over the vein

Symptoms that the clot has triggered a PE include:

Abrupt difficulty breathing
Rapid breathing
Chest pain that’s worse with breathing or coughing
Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
Rapid heartbeat
Coughing up blood

If you have any symptoms of a PE, call 911 or go to your local emergency room!

Treating DVT

The sooner you seek treatment for DVT, the sooner you can regain your vein health.

At Heart Vascular & Leg Center, we develop a treatment plan following a complete medical history, physical exam, and any necessary testing, like a vascular ultrasound. Our goal is twofold: to stop the clot from getting larger and to prevent it from breaking free. Your treatment may include:

Blood thinning drugs
Clot busters (medications that break up existing clots)
Compression stockings (improve blood flow)
Surgical placement of a filter to prevent clots from getting into your lungs

Our physicians also perform thrombectomies, a surgical procedure that physically removes the blood clot from your vein and restores normal blood flow.

If you’re showing any symptoms of deep vein thrombosis or have early-stage vein disease, it’s time to come into Heart Vascular & Leg Center for an evaluation and prompt, effective treatment. Give our office a call at 661-443-5524 to set up a consultation or book online today.