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Deep Vein Thrombosis: Prevention is Best
When hearing news of friends who experienced sudden life-threatening
blood clots as a result of blocked arteries, many people think of heart
attacks and strokes. Less often do we think of other clotting problems.
Airline magazines or an occasional news article encourage readers to
stretch their legs and walk around on an airplane to avoid the dangers
of blood clots associated with air travel; but few recognize the risks
in car or train travel. And what about surgery? Health care users often
lack awareness of the danger of a blood clot until they are scheduled
for a procedure and possibly receive information about blood thinners.
More and more, people in our society stay seated in front of a
television, a computer, or as a passenger, for many hours of the day,
unaware of the risk of developing a fatal blood clot. Anything that
keeps a person in one position for more than a couple hours boosts the
chances for a clot.
This specific type of clotting is called deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). As
indicated in the name, clots develop in deep veins, the large blood
vessels that are enclosed by muscle and located in the center of an arm
or leg. The problem arises when a blood clot partially or completely
blocks circulation in the vein.
A blood clot breaking off and traveling through the blood stream to a
vital organ occurs in one or two people out of every 1,000 each year.1
As one ages, the likelihood of a traveling clot or blockage increases to
five per 1000 people.2
The good news is that one can lower the chances for DVT through:
- Physical activity
- Avoiding hormone use
- Staying hydrated and limiting caffeine and alcohol
- Talking to ones doctor about risk for DVT, especially if one has cancer,
heart or respiratory disease, restricted mobility or recent surgery, and
- Wearing support stockings and/or taking blood-thinning medications in
certain circumstances.
This module is designed to give professionals who work with older adults
tools for community education and support to help prevent and recognize
clotting problems in the veins and the complications.
This module was developed by Nancy Aldrich of Garner-Aldrich Publishing
and the American Society on Aging staff. The module was independently
reviewed. The authors wish to thank the American Venous Forum, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Alliance
for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia for their assistance in the development
of this module. They also would like to thank the hundreds of
professionals from around the country who took the time to respond to
queries, forward materials, and enthusiastically supported this project.
The module was made possible through an education grant provided by sanofi-aventis. Published in May 2006.
1 Anderson, F.A., et al. (1991) "A Population-Based
Perspective of the Hospital Incidence and Case-Fatality Rates of Deep-Vein
Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism: The Worcester DVT Study" Arch Intern Med.
151:933-938, http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/5/933.
Silverstein M.D., Heit J.A., et al. (1998) "Trends in the Incidence of Deep Vein
Thrombosis and Pulmonary Embolism: A 25-Year Population-Based Study" Arch Intern Med. 158:585-593.
2 White, R.H. (June 17, 2003) "The Epidemiology of
Venous Thromboembolism" Circulation 107: 4I-8I,
http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/full/107/23_suppl_1/I-4.
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