Are You At Risk for Clots?

"Venous thromboembolism (VTE), also known as blood clots, is a serious, growing public health issue that everyone should know about. Blood clots are preventable, yet an estimated 900,000 Americans are affected each year by a blood clot, resulting in nearly 100,000 deaths.

It is important to understand your risk for a blood clot and to know the signs and symptoms in order to seek treatment early and prevent death from a blood clot. Learn more about blood clots and read how the Stop the Clot, Spread the Word^®external icon campaign is raising more awareness about blood clots.

What is a blood clot?

A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that occurs in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg, thigh, pelvis, or arm. A DVT can occur without any symptoms, but it is often accompanied by swelling, pain, and redness of the skin. If a DVT is not treated, a part of the clot can break off and travel to the lungs, causing a blockage in the lungs called a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE can cause symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, coughing, coughing up blood, and irregular heartbeats. It is important to seek immediate medical treatment when experiencing any of these symptoms. A DVT does not go away on its own. Only a healthcare provider can diagnose and treat a blood clot with medicine or in rare cases, surgery.

Who is at risk for a blood clot?

Blood clots can affect anyone at any age, but certain risk factors, such as surgery, hospitalization, pregnancy, cancer and some types of cancer treatments can increase risks. In addition, a family history of blood clots can increase a person’s risk. The chance of a blood clot increases when you have more risk factors.."
Clots