Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
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 theclot is small, it might not cause any symptoms. If it's medium-sized, it can cause chest pain and breathing difficulties . A large clotcan cause the lungs to collapse, resulting in heart failure , which can be fatal.
About onein 10people with an untreated DVT develops a severe pulmonary embolism.
Ifyou've had a DVT, you may develop long-term symptoms in your calf known as post-thrombotic syndrome. Thisaffects around 20-40% of people with a history of DVT.
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:
When a DVT develops in your thigh vein, there's an increased risk of post-thrombotic syndrome occurring. It's also more likely to occur if you're overweight or ifyou've had more than one DVT in the same leg.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that develops within a deep vein in the body, usually in the leg. DVT usually occurs in a deep leg vein, a larger vein that runs through the muscles of the calf and the thigh.
Read about how and when deep vein thrombosis (DVT) can occur. In certain circumstances, such as being inactive for long periods, your risk of getting DVT increases.
Read about how deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is treated. Two of the main treatments are anticoagulant medicines and wearing compression stockings.
Read about the two main complications of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome.
Find out how to prevent getting deep vein thrombosis (DVT) before going into hospital, while in hospital and after being discharged, plus long-distance travel advice.
Journalist Mark Pownall from north London developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on a long-haul flight from New Orleans to London.
Helen Cannings, 34, developed venous thromboembolism (VTE) at around 30 weeks of pregnancy. Her father also died of pulmonary embolism at the age of just 49.
Battling through three differentcancers meant that getting blood clots was the last thing on Jeremy Smith's mind.