What causes deep vein thrombosis and life threatening blood clots?
Three common features lead to deep vein thrombosis, stagnant blood flow, inherited or acquired clotting disorders, or trauma. Stagnant blood flow is seen with prolonged bed rest or hospitalization > 5 days, long bone and pelvis fractures, major joint replacement surgeries, abdominal and pelvic surgeries, and prolonged travel in confined space of a plane or car. Acquired influences include inherited clotting conditions, use of birth control pills, obesity, serious infections, malignancies, and dehydration. Beyond major trauma and direct vascular trauma, other conditions such as advanced age, congestive heart failure, family history of blood clots, and the presence of varicose veins each contribute to the risk for DVT. Part of the growing incidence may be attributed to the obesity problem in American which some have reported to add a 30% risk compared to a normal weight person with the same risks for DVT. How would I know if I had a blood clot? When a DVT develops patients typically sens
