The Danger of a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

A life of inactivity or a smoking habit can increase your risk for a dangerous condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). At HeartCare Associates of Connecticut, our experienced vein care specialists offer on-site services to diagnose and treat DVT and prevent serious complications.

Our experts provide more insight into what DVT is and how you can protect yourself from this type of serious vein condition.

Understanding deep vein thrombosis

A deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in the deep veins of your body. DVT most often affects your legs because the blood there must fight against gravity to make it back to your heart.

You can develop a DVT if you have underlying clotting disorders or because of factors like:

• Surgery
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Pregnancy
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Using birth control pills
• Sitting for long periods of time

If you are over 60 or have a family history of DVT, your risk also increases.

Without treatment, DVT can cause serious and potentially life-threatening complications like a pulmonary embolism, which occurs if the clot in your leg travels into your lungs and blocks blood flow.

Signs that you might have a deep vein thrombosis

There are a number of symptoms that can indicate that you have a DVT. However, it’s also possible to have DVT without knowing it.

Signs to look out for include:

• Leg pain
• Leg swelling
• Skin discoloration
• Muscle cramping and soreness

If you experience any of these symptoms, it’s important that you schedule a diagnostic evaluation with our team at HeartCare Associates of Connecticut. 

You should also seek medical attention if you have shortness of breath, chest pain, or rapid breathing – all signs of a possible pulmonary embolism.

Diagnosing and treating a deep vein thrombosis

Our vein care experts offer diagnostic technologies on-site to quickly identify a deep vein thrombosis. If you have symptoms or risk factors for DVT, they might request tests like:

• Ultrasound
• Venography
• Computed tomography (CT) scan
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

These tests provide our team with a close-up view of your deep veins to accurately confirm the clot and its location within your vein.  

Your treatment plan for DVT will likely involve medications to thin your blood or break up the clot before it can travel to your lungs or another part of your body.

In some cases, surgery might be needed to place a filter in your vein that prevents a clot from moving around. Following surgery, our team offers blood-clotting monitoring services as part of our Anticoagulation Management Service.

Tips to lower your risk for a deep vein thrombosis

Our providers at HealthCare Associates of Connecticut offer resources to lower your risk for developing DVT and its related complications. They recommend wearing compression stockings to improve your blood circulation and suggest health-improvement strategies like:

• Losing weight
• Quitting smoking
• Improving your diet
• Increasing your daily exercise

You might also need routine checkups of your affected vein to identify potential clots that might develop at a later time.

To schedule a diagnostic evaluation for deep vein thrombosis, call the HeartCare Associates of Connecticut office nearest you today.