Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month

Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month

March is National Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month. The awareness color representing DVTs and this awareness cause is red and white pinstripes. Other times people use red and purple as the color to represent DVTs. Deep Vein Thrombosis Awareness Month raises awareness of this commonly occurring medical condition. Its potentially fatal complication is pulmonary embolism. Wear an enamel awareness pin, fabric ribbon, or silicone wristband to call attention to this important month.

DVT is more commonly known as blood clots. According to the American Heart Association up to 2 million Americans suffer each year from DVTs. Yet most Americans (74 percent) have little or no awareness of DVT. This statistic is according to a national survey sponsored by the American Public Health Association.

Leading medical, public health, and patient advocacy groups sponsor the observance and work to increase awareness of the signs, symptoms and risk factors of DVT. All health professionals can help by learning more about the condition and the options available for treatment and prevention.

About Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

There are two types of veins: deep and superficial. Deep veins, for example, are large and surrounded by muscle in the center of a limb. DVT occurs when a thrombus (blood clot) forms in the deep vein, most often in the leg. This results in partially or completely blocked circulation.

Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Symptoms of DVT can include swelling, pain, discoloration, and abnormally hot skin at the affected area. Unfortunately, nearly half of DVT episodes have minimal, if any, symptoms. These “silent” afflictions are particularly worrisome. Adding to the complication, some conditions such as muscle strain, skin inflection, phlebitis (inflammation of veins) also have similar symptoms. This makes DVT harder to diagnose. The most accurate ways to diagnose DVTs are through venous ultrasound, venography, and Impedance plethysmography – detection via electrodes and a blood pressure cuff placed on the patient’s calf and thigh.

While DVT below the knee is unlikely to cause serious complications, clots above the knee can break off and travel up the bloodstream. This results in a blocked blood vessel in the lung (pulmonary embolism). Additionally, consequences are damaged blood vessels leading to blood pooling, swelling, and pain in the leg. In the most severe cases with large clots, death is a result of the clot.

Certain individuals are more at risk for deep vein thrombosis than others. Those with prior DVT, obesity, stroke, pregnancy, undergoing major surgery, and those over the age of 65 are at a higher risk. In addition, those who are confined for long periods are more likely to be afflicted. According to the American Medical Association, approximately 2 million people suffer from DVT each year. This is more than the annual amount affected by heart attack or stroke.

Why is it important to learn about blood clots?

While, in the United States, an estimated 900,000 people are affected by a blood clot every year, clots are often under-diagnosed. Blood clots can cause serious medical conditions that can lead to illness, disability, and even death if not treated early. Blood clots can affect anyone, but certain risk factors such as pregnancy, cancer and its treatment, and hospitalization can increase a person’s risk for a blood clot. It is important to know the signs and symptoms of a blood clot so that you know to seek medical treatment as early as possible.