These conditions include:. During pregnancy, blood clots more easily. It's the body's way of preventing too much blood being lost during childbirth. DVTs are also rare in pregnancy, although pregnant women are up to 10 times more likely to develop thrombosis than non-pregnant women of the same age.
A clot can form at any stage of pregnancy and up to 6 weeks after the birth. Having thrombophilia a condition where the blood has an increased tendency to clot , or having a parent, or brother or sister, who's had a thrombosis, increase your risk of developing a DVT during pregnancy.
LMWH is an anticoagulant, which means it prevents the blood clot getting bigger. It's given by injection and doesn't affect your developing baby. The combined contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy HRT both contain the female hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen causes the blood to clot a bit more easily than normal, so your risk of getting DVT is slightly increased.
There's no increased risk from the progestogen-only contraceptive pill. Anticoagulant medicines prevent blood clots getting bigger. They can also help stop part of the blood clot breaking off and becoming lodged in another part of your bloodstream an embolism.
Although they're often referred to as "blood-thinning" medicines, anticoagulants don't actually thin the blood. They alter proteins within it, which prevents clots forming so easily. Heparin and warfarin are 2 types of anticoagulants that are used to treat DVT. After this initial treatment, you may also need to take warfarin to prevent another blood clot forming.
The dose of standard unfractionated heparin to treat a blood clot varies significantly from person to person, so the dosage must be carefully monitored and adjusted if necessary.
You may need to stay in hospital for 5 to 10 days and have frequent blood tests to ensure you receive the right dose. LMWH works differently from standard heparin. It contains small molecules, which means its effects are more reliable and you won't have to stay in hospital and be monitored. In rare cases, heparin can also cause an extreme reaction that makes existing blood clots worse and causes new clots to develop.
This reaction, and weakening of your bones, is less likely to occur when taking LMWH. Warfarin is taken as a tablet. You may need to take it after initial treatment with heparin to prevent further blood clots occurring. Your doctor may recommend that you take warfarin for 3 to 6 months. In some cases, it may need to be taken for longer, even for life. As with standard heparin, the effects of warfarin vary from person to person. You'll need to be closely monitored by having frequent blood tests to ensure you're taking the right dosage.
When you first start taking warfarin, you may need to have 2 to 3 blood tests a week until your regular dose is decided. After this, you should only need to have a blood test every 4 weeks at an anticoagulant outpatient clinic.
Warfarin can be affected by your diet, any other medicines you're taking, and by how well your liver is working. Warfarin isn't recommended for pregnant women who are given heparin injections for the full length of treatment. Rivaroxaban comes in tablet form. It's a type of anticoagulant known as a directly acting oral anticoagulant DOAC. It prevents blood clots forming by inhibiting a substance called factor Xa and restricting the formation of thrombin an enzyme that helps blood clot.
Treatment usually lasts 3 months and involves taking rivaroxaban twice a day for the first 21 days and then once a day until the end of the course. Read the NICE guidance about rivaroxaban. Like rivaroxaban, apixaban is a DOAC that's taken orally as a tablet, and prevents blood clots forming by hindering factor Xa and restricting the formation of thrombin.
Read the NICE guidance about apixaban. Wearing compression stockings helps prevent calf pain and swelling, and lowers the risk of ulcers developing after having DVT. They can also help prevent post-thrombotic syndrome. This is damage to leg tissue caused by the increase in venous pressure that occurs when a vein is blocked by a clot and blood is diverted to the outer veins.
After having DVT, stockings should be worn every day for at least 2 years. This is because symptoms of post-thrombotic syndrome may develop several months or even years after having a DVT. Compression stockings should be fitted professionally and your prescription should be reviewed every 3 to 6 months. The stockings need to be worn all day but can be taken off before going to bed or in the evening while you rest with your leg raised.
A spare pair of compression stockings should also be provided. Your healthcare team will usually advise you to walk regularly once compression stockings have been prescribed. This can help prevent symptoms of DVT returning and may help to improve or prevent complications of DVT, such as post-thrombotic syndrome. As well as wearing compression stockings, you might be advised to raise your leg whenever you're resting. This helps to relieve the pressure in the veins of the calf and stops blood and fluid pooling in the calf itself.
When raising your leg, make sure your foot is higher than your hip. This will help the returning blood flow from your calf. Putting a cushion underneath your leg while you're lying down should help raise your leg above the level of your hip. You can also slightly raise the end of your bed to ensure that your foot and calf are slightly higher than your hip.
Although anticoagulant medicines and compression stockings are usually the only treatments needed for DVT, inferior vena cava IVC filters may be used as an alternative. This is usually because anticoagulant treatment needs to be stopped, isn't suitable, or isn't working.
IVC filters are small mesh devices that can be placed in a vein. They trap large fragments of a blood clot and stop it travelling to the heart and lungs. They can be used to help prevent blood clots developing in the legs of people diagnosed with:. IVCs can be placed in the vein permanently, or newer types of filters can be placed temporarily and removed after the risk of a blood clot has decreased.
The procedure to insert an IVC filter is carried out using a local anaesthetic where you're awake but the area is numb. A small cut is made in the skin and a catheter thin, flexible tube is inserted into a vein in the neck or groin area. The catheter is guided using an ultrasound scan.
The IVC filter is then inserted through the catheter and into the vein. The two main complications of deep vein thrombosis DVT are pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome. A pulmonary embolism is the most serious complication of DVT. It happens when a piece of blood clot DVT breaks off and travels through your bloodstream to your lungs, where it blocks one of the blood vessels. In severe cases this can be fatal. If the clot is small, it might not cause any symptoms.
If it's medium-sized, it can cause chest pain and breathing difficulties. A large clot can cause the lungs to collapse, resulting in heart failure , which can be fatal. If you've had a DVT, you may develop long-term symptoms in your calf known as post-thrombotic syndrome. If you have DVT, the blood clot in the vein of your calf can divert the flow of blood to other veins, causing an increase in pressure.
This can affect the tissues of your calf and lead to symptoms, including:. Swelling, redness, and pain are some of the signs and symptoms of deep vein thrombosis. A pulmonary embolism can cause sudden chest pain and shortness of breath. Sometimes VTE occurs without any obvious signs.
Medicines that help prevent further blood clots from forming or that dissolve serious vein blockages are the main treatments for VTE. This can be especially serious in the case of a pulmonary embolism, which blocks blood flow to the lungs.
If a blood clot is large or there are many clots, a pulmonary embolism can cause death. Causes - Venous Thromboembolism. Read more. Read less. Risk Factors - Venous Thromboembolism. Surgery Knee and hip replacement surgery, in particular, carry a high risk for VTE, as does peripheral and coronary artery bypass surgery, surgery to remove cancer, neurosurgery, abdominal surgery, and other major operations. Other medical conditions Certain medical conditions can increase your risk of developing a DVT.
Some conditions are more closely linked to developing VTE than others and include the following: Spinal cord injury. In addition to damaging veins deep in your body, spinal cord injury may cause paralysis, which can reduce blood flow and raise your risk of VTE. The risk is highest in the first weeks after the injury.
A broken hip or leg bone or other trauma. Cancers such as advanced brain, breast, colon, and pancreatic cancer. Cancer chemotherapy, surgical treatment, and placement of a central venous catheter—a tube inserted into a vein to deliver chemotherapy treatment or other medicine—all increase the risk of VTE.
Some cancers release substances that can make it easier for blood to clot. Some cancerous tumors may directly block blood flow by pressing on a vein. A central venous catheter increases the risk for VTE in arm veins, especially in children. Heart conditions such as heart attack or congestive heart failure. Stroke Obesity Varicose veins. Most varicose veins do not cause problems, but large, untreated varicose veins can lead to VTE. Watch our video to learn more about how COVID can lead to a blood clot in the lungs or deep veins, usually in the legs.
Sickle cell disease. This condition makes the blood clot more easily and can be a risk factor for VTE. Hormone-based medicines Women who take birth control pills or get hormone therapy have an increased risk of clotting. Pregnancy and giving birth Women are at higher risk for VTE during the first six weeks after giving birth to a baby.
Not moving for long periods Being still slows blood flow through the veins in your arms and legs, raising your risk of deep vein thrombosis. Age VTE can occur at any age, but your risk increases as you age. Family history and genetics Heredity can affect your chances of developing VTE. What is Factor V Leiden? Sex Women in their childbearing years are more likely to develop VTE than men of the same age.
Screening and Prevention - Venous Thromboembolism. Prevent a first VTE event. Doctors may suggest three ways to help prevent VTE: Movement. Helping your blood circulate makes it harder for clots to form. Your doctor may recommend that you move around as soon as possible after surgery and as you heal.
If you cannot get up and walk, try to flex and stretch your feet to improve blood flow in your calves. Gentle pressure keeps blood from pooling and clotting. Your doctor may recommend applying pressure—for example, by wearing a sleeve or boot that periodically fills with air, or by wearing graduated compression stockings.
Your doctor may give you anticoagulant, or blood-thinning, medicines to prevent clotting. Sometimes this preventive therapy starts before surgery. Or, you may be asked to take a blood thinner during your recovery period at home. These medicines, such as heparin, warfarin, and direct oral anticoagulants, are also used to treat VTE. Look for. Diagnosis will discuss tests and procedures that your doctor may use to diagnose VTE. Life After will explain what your doctor may recommend to prevent your VTE from recurring, getting worse, or causing complications.
Research for Your Health will discuss how we are using current research and advancing research to prevent VTE. Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Venous Thromboembolism. Signs and symptoms. Deep vein thrombosis may cause the following to occur around the area of a blood clot: Swelling Pain or tenderness Increased warmth, cramps, or aching in the area that is swollen or painful, usually the calf or thigh Red or discolored skin Signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism include: Shortness of breath Pain with deep breathing Rapid breathing Increased heart rate Less common signs and symptoms of pulmonary embolism may include coughing, with or without blood; feelings of anxiety or dread; light-headedness or fainting; and sweating.
Possible complications of VTE include: Post-thrombotic syndrome PTS , in which poor blood flow, inflammation, and blood vessel damage from deep vein thrombosis cause swelling and discomfort. PTS is a long-lasting condition that can be disabling. With PTS, you may notice swelling, pain, itchiness, or discoloration in the affected area, along with cramping or fatigue.
The symptoms may feel worse if you have been on your feet for an extended period. In severe cases, skin sores may develop. Compression stockings may help relieve PTS symptoms.
Pulmonary hypertension , which occurs when pulmonary embolism blocks blood flow and raises blood pressure in the vessels leading to your lungs. This condition can lead to heart failure. If you develop pulmonary hypertension, you may find it hard to breathe, especially after physical activity, or you may cough up blood, notice swelling, feel tired, have palpitations , or faint.
If you still have pulmonary hypertension several months after a VTE event, your doctor may refer you to a specialist to talk about the possibility of surgery to remove a lung clot that has not gone away with treatment. Diagnosis will discuss tests and procedures used to detect signs of blood clots and blockage and help rule out other conditions that may mimic VTE. Treatment will explain treatment-related complications or side effects of VTE, such as bleeding.
Diagnosis - Venous Thromboembolism. Medical history and physical exam. Your doctor may examine your heart rate and the area that is affected and ask about your overall health, including: Your recent medical history, especially any paralysis or periods of immobilization Medicines you are taking Recent surgeries or injuries you have had Whether you have been treated for cancer.
Diagnostic tests and procedures. D-dimer test to measure a substance in the blood that is released when the fibrin proteins in a blood clot dissolve. If the test shows high levels of the substance, you may have VTE. If your test results are normal and you have few risk factors, you likely do not have VTE.
Ultrasound to look for deep vein blood clots. This test uses sound waves to create pictures of blood flowing in your veins. The person doing the test may press on your veins to see if they compress normally or if they are stiff with blood clots. Computed tomography CT angiography to take pictures of your blood vessels and look for blood clots in the lungs and legs. This is the most common diagnostic test for pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary angiography to confirm a pulmonary embolism if, after other testing, your doctor suspects you might have one.
This test requires inserting a tube into your blood vessel. It also uses X-rays to create video of the blood flow to your lung so your doctor can identify any blood clots. Other imaging tests to look at blood flow through your veins, heart function, and lung function if the results of previous tests could not diagnose or rule out VTE.
Tests for other medical conditions. Other tests include: Blood tests to check whether you have an inherited blood clotting disorder if you have had repeated blood clots that are not related to another cause. Blood clots in an unusual location, such as the liver, kidney, or brain, may also suggest an inherited clotting disorder. Blood tests can also measure the level of oxygen and other gases in your blood.
Chest X-ray to give your doctor information about what may be causing your symptoms, such as pneumonia or fluid in the lungs. A chest X-ray does not show whether you have a pulmonary embolism. Electrocardiogram ECG to identify other conditions that are causing signs of pulmonary embolism. An ECG records the electrical activity of your heart. Return to Risk Factors to review family history, lifestyle, or other environmental factors that increase your risk of developing clots.
Return to Screening and Prevention to review what you can do to prevent clots from forming. Treatment - Venous Thromboembolism. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, and thrombolytics are medicines commonly used to treat VTE. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, keep blood clots from getting larger and stop new clots from forming. Conventional blood thinners include warfarin and heparin, but newer blood-thinning medicines are also available.
To take them, you might get an injection, take a pill, or have an IV tube inserted. Possible side effects include bleeding, especially if you are taking other medicines that also thin your blood, such as aspirin. Thrombin inhibitors interfere with the process of clot formation. They may be used for people who cannot take heparin. Thrombolytics may be used to dissolve large blood clots that cause severe symptoms or other serious complications.
Because thrombolytics can cause sudden bleeding, they are used only for serious and potentially life-threatening VTE events, such as pulmonary embolism. Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional. The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website.
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Deep vein thrombosis. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. About deep vein thrombosis A thrombus is a blood clot. Blood clotting and DVT Blood contains platelets and compounds called clotting agents. Risk factors for DVT Some of the risk factors that may contribute to the formation of a thrombus include: coronary heart disease being overweight or obese cigarette smoking pregnancy a high-dose combined oral contraceptive pill a susceptibility to 'stickier' blood and a family history of DVT blood clotting disorders sitting still for long periods of time recent surgery or injury some types of cancer chronic heart failure previous thrombosis hormone therapy infections older age.
Long distance travel and DVT Long distance travel by air, road or rail for longer than 8 to10 hours is associated with an increased risk of DVT in susceptible people. The following may be helpful to reduce the risk of DVT while undertaking long distance travel: Wear loose clothes.
Avoid cigarettes and alcohol. Drink plenty of fluids avoid alcohol. Move about whenever possible before, during, and after travelling. Don't sit with your legs crossed. Perform leg and foot stretches and exercises while seated. Consult with your doctor before travelling. Symptoms of DVT The symptoms of a DVT may include: pain and tenderness in the leg pain on extending the foot swelling of the lower leg, ankle and foot skin that is warm changes in skin tone, such as red or pale or bluish skin.
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