Understanding and Recognizing Deep Vein Thrombosis
Board certified, Dr. Henry Tarlian guides the Western Vascular Institute in Phoenix and has a patient-centered approach to endovascular treatment for arterial disease. Among the areas in which Dr. Henry Tarlian provides knowledgeable care is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which involves a blood clot forming in a blood vessel in the leg.
While the causes of the condition vary and include obesity, vein damage, cancer, and inactivity over an extended period, DVT is related to coagulation. This natural process, which involves thickening of the blood, is the body’s way of ensuring that bleeding is kept to a minimum when injury occurs. Unfortunately, it can also result in blood platelets sticking together and clotting when no injury is present.
The danger is that such a clot can break loose (embolize), moving upward and resulting in a blockage of the lung’s pulmonary arteries. This can result in severe breathing difficulties and even be fatal.
It is important to be aware of the symptoms of DVT, which include pain, swelling, redness, and warmth to the touch in the leg that has the clot. Another DVT sign is pain in the leg that becomes worse when the foot is flexed. Leg cramps in the calf or taking place at night can also indicate DVT, as well as skin discoloration. Suspected deep vein thrombosis cases warrant an immediate visit to a qualified physician able to evaluate and treat the blood clot as necessary.
While the causes of the condition vary and include obesity, vein damage, cancer, and inactivity over an extended period, DVT is related to coagulation. This natural process, which involves thickening of the blood, is the body’s way of ensuring that bleeding is kept to a minimum when injury occurs. Unfortunately, it can also result in blood platelets sticking together and clotting when no injury is present.
The danger is that such a clot can break loose (embolize), moving upward and resulting in a blockage of the lung’s pulmonary arteries. This can result in severe breathing difficulties and even be fatal.
It is important to be aware of the symptoms of DVT, which include pain, swelling, redness, and warmth to the touch in the leg that has the clot. Another DVT sign is pain in the leg that becomes worse when the foot is flexed. Leg cramps in the calf or taking place at night can also indicate DVT, as well as skin discoloration. Suspected deep vein thrombosis cases warrant an immediate visit to a qualified physician able to evaluate and treat the blood clot as necessary.
