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Deep Venous Thrombosis - Deep Venous Thrombosis symptom, treatment, causes

Deep Venous Thrombosis occurs due to the formation of a blood clot (thrombus) in the veins, most commonly in the deep veins of the calf. There is a tendency to deep venous thrombosis (DVT) during immobilisation after major surgery and stroke, and sometimes after childbirth. DVT is potentially dangerous because of the possibility of pieces of the thrombus breaking off and travelling via the veins to the lungs, to cause PULMONARY EMBOLISM.

The risk of DVT can be reduced by the use of injected anticoagulant drugs and by encouraging patients to move their legs, preferably by walking, as soon as possible after surgery. DVT is treated with anticoagulants and drugs that help to dissolve clots. Large pulmonary emboli may need to be removed surgically.

Deep venous thrombosis is a condition where there is a blood clot in a deep vein (a vein that accompanies an artery). Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg or thigh. They also can occur in other parts of the body. Deep venous thrombosis affects mainly the veins in the lower leg and the thigh. It involves the formation of a clot in the larger veins of the area. This clot may interfere with circulation, and it may break off and travel through the blood stream. There may be no symptoms referrable to the location of the deep venous thrombosis, but the classical symptoms of deep venous thrombosis include pain, swelling and redness of the leg and dilatation of the surface veins. A venous thrombosis can lead to a potentially dangerous condition called pulmonary embolism. This is when the clot breaks off and travels through the veins to the lungs, where it gets lodged in a pulmonary artery. The most common form of thrombosis is deep vein thrombosis. Risks also include a history of polycythemia vera, malignant (cancerous) tumor, and inherited or acquired hypercoagulability (a condition where the blood is more likely to clot). Thrombosis can actually take place in any of the veins throughout the body, but is most frequent in the legs.

Deep venous thrombosis is most common in adults over age 60 but can occur in any age group. Head trauma may cause defibrination, and deep venous thrombosis. The most worrisome complications of deep venous thrombosis occur when a clot breaks loose and travels through the bloodstream and causes blockage of blood vessels (pulmonary arteries) in the lung. This can lead to severe difficulty in breathing and even death, depending on the degree of blockage. Deep venous thrombosis is common after stroke or neurological trauma. Without prophylaxis, half the patients develop acute deep venous thrombosis within 5 days following a stroke. Doctors use several strategies to diagnose deep venous thrombosis. These include a scan that uses sound waves to look at clots in the veins of the upper leg (ultrasonography), blood tests that help measure whether a clot has formed and is breaking down, and an x-ray taken after dye is injected into a foot vein. For deep vein thrombosis, treatment involves prevention of pulmonary embolism. Hospitalization may be necessary at first, but because of the advances in treatment, some people with deep vein thrombosis can be treated at home.

Causes of Deep venous thrombosis

The common causes and risk factor's of Deep venous thrombosis include the following:

• Damage to the inside of a blood vessel.
• Recent injury or trauma.
• A history of blood clots, such as a pulmonary embolus or even superficial blood clots.
• Certain medicines used to treat breast cancer and osteoporosis.
• Blood-clotting disorders.
• Inherited or acquired hypercoagulability.

Symptoms of Deep venous thrombosis

Some sign and symptoms related to Deep venous thrombosis are as follows:

• Pain, usually in the calf or thigh.
• Increased warmth of one leg.
• Warm, reddened skin, usually in the calf or thigh, that is tender to the touch.
• Swelling, usually in one leg.
• Changes in skin color of one leg, redness.
• Leg cramps, especially at night.

Treatment of Deep venous thrombosis

Here is list of the methods to treat Deep venous thrombosis:

• An anticoagulant medication called heparin, which is given through the vein. This results in very quick anticoagulation and treatment of the clot. Anticoagulants can be taken as either a pill (warfarin) or an injection (heparin).
• Thrombin inhibitors are medicines that interfere with the clotting process. They are used to treat some types of clots and for patients who can't take heparin.
• Pregnant women can't take warfarin and are treated with heparin only.
• Thrombolytics are medicines given to quickly dissolve a blood clot. They are used to treat large clots that cause severe symptoms.
• If pulmonary embolism occurs, treatment usually includes oxygen (usually given by a face mask or nasal prongs), analgesics to relieve pain.
• Injectable progesterone birth control.