Original authors: Peter K. Henke, Mark H. Meissner and Thomas
W.Wakefield
Abstracted by Kellie R. Brown
Content:
- Introduction
- How common are Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?
- What causes DVT and PE (venous thromboembolism -VTE)?
- What are the risk factors for VTE?
- Age, Gender and Race
- Surgery
- Trauma
- Medical Illness
- Immobilization or Travel
- Primary Blood Clotting Disorders
- Oral Contraceptives and Hormonal Therapy
- Pregnancy
- How does clot affect the vein?
- Does the vein return to normal after the clot resolves?
- Conclusion
Summary:
This chapter will discuss the common risk factors for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT: blood clots forming in the deep veins often of the leg, pelvic or abdomen but can also occur in the arm veins), the changes that occur in a vein after a clot has formed, and what happens to the clot over time. Among patients with DVT, one third of them are diagnosed due to a pulmonary embolus (PE), a blood clot traveling in the blood vessels to the lung, causing shortness of breath and chest pain. The long-term effects of DVT, called post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), can be associated with skin discoloration, ulceration and other skin changes in the legs.
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