Skip to main content
Submitted by Dr S. Patel on 13 October 2016

This World Thrombosis Day, Dr Manohar B Kalbande, Cardio vascular & thoracic surgeon warns that diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity and sedentary lifestyle increase risk of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and recommends early diagnosis, complete treatment and regular follow up to get give good relief from this disease.

What is Thrombosis?

Blood returning to the heart i.e. venous blood is drained by two sets of veins in our body- superficial and deep. The deep veins are located deep in the muscles. When the blood clots in the deep veins produce obstruction to blood returning to the heart, the condition is called Deep Vein Thrombosis [DVT]. The incidence of DVT in India is much more than was previously thought as in some cases the disease goes unnoticed.

What are the signs and symptoms of thrombosis?

A bed ridden patient with DVT may not have any symptoms.

Otherwise, the person usually presents with

- swelling of limb 

- onset of acute throbbing or cramping pain of mild to moderate intensity,

- skin feels warm around the painful area

- red or darkened skin around the painful area

- swollen veins that are hard or sore 

 

In chronic cases, there is usually persistent leg edema, hyper pigmentation of skin with thickening is present. Advanced cases may present with large non-healing ulcers. 5-10% patients may have sudden death due to complication called Acute Pulmonary Embolism, wherein large clot from deep veins breaks up and migrates to lung arteries blocking major blood supply to lungs and causing sudden death.

What causes Deep Vein Thrombosis?

DVT occurs due to combination of three factors:

  1. Sluggish flow of blood due to various reasons
  2. Injury in the vein wall
  3. Increased thickness of blood.

Various risk factors associated with DVT are :

- increasing age,

- remaining in one position for long time as it occurs during prolonged travel,anesthesia, operation, paralysis, fracture of bones etc.

Cancer and, in females, use of oral contraceptive drugs are also associated with higher incidence of DVT. Condition called "Thrombophilia Syndrome" wherein the blood becomes thick and more prone for clotting has been recognized as very important factor.

How is DVT diagnosed?

Diagnosis of DVT is usually simple by these non-invasive tests:

-Colour Doppler Examination. It can reveal blood clots in leg veins by using sound waves to check flow in the blood veins.

-The D-dimer test which is a blood test is also done. If blood clots are present, they produce a protein called D-dimer. 

-MRI to get a more detailed image of the blood vessels in the legs and lungs.

The only invasive test used sometimes is Venography where a dye is injected into the large vein of the leg and then X-rays images are taken. This is not very commonly performed.

How is thrombosis or blood clots treated? 

The goal of treatment is to reduce the size of the clot, prevent it from travelling to the lung and reduce risk of future clots. There are  few ways to achieve these goals:

-Start with simple elevation of the affected limb in bed above heart level.

-Blood thinners or anti-coagulants are started immediately. In hospital, initially, injection of Heparin derivative Low Molecular Weight Heparin or LMWH is given for few days. An oral blood thinner then  continues for 3-6 months. Commonly these rae warfarin pills which need acute monitoring of doses by a blood test called INR.

-If regular anti-coagulants do not work, Clot-busters or Thrombolytics are prescribed. In case of a severe DVTs, the patient is given the clot-buster via a catheter under imaging which targets to break and suck the clot.

-Surgical thromboectomy or removal by operation is usually not done these days.

-Some individuals who do not tolerate anticoagulant and have clot in deep veins nearer to heart may require placing an umbrella type device called IVC Filter to prevent blood clot from breaking and causing pulmonary embolism.

-Compression stocking must be worn from foot up till the knee to prevent recurrence of clots.

Can lifestyle changes reduce my risk of life-threatening blood clots?

Diabetes mellitus, increased blood cholesterol, obesity, sedentary lifestyle increase risk of DVT. Llifestyle modification can definitely reduce the risk of the disease.

Does deep vein thrombosis increase risk for other health problems?

When not treated or inadequately treated, chronic limb swelling, dark pigmentation, eczema, recurrent ulceration etc occur called as " Post Thrombotic Syndrome" which produces morbidity and reduces functional capacity and leads to loss of working days.

What is the extent of the problem in India?

With the average rate of approximately 150 per lakh population, more than 1.5 million persons may be suffering annually in India from DVT. The disease is more common in females and occurs in lower extremities in >95% cases.

What advice would you give to help control the disease?

The message is early diagnosis, complete treatment and regular follow up can give good relief from this disease.

 

Stories

  • चीला - वेजिटेबल ऑमलेट रेसिपी
    यह एक विशेष वेजिटेबल आमलेट है -उन दिनों के लिए के लिए जब मुझे अंडा खाने का मन नहीं होता. झटपट बनाया जा सकता है । सामग्री (6 चीले बनते हैं) ½ कप (60 ग्राम) चावल का आटा ¼ कप गेहूं का आटा 1 बड़ा चम्मच मैदा 2 बड़े चम्मच बेसन ½ कप छाछ या आवश्यकतानुसार 1 प्याज (बड़ा), कद्दूकस  किया हुआ 1 टमाटर, कटा हुआ 3 हरी मिर्च, कटी हुई कुछ करी पत्ते, कटे हुए नमक स्वादअनुसार ½ टी स्पून सरसों के दाने चुटकी खाने वाला सोडा (वैकल्पिक) 1 बड़ा चम्मच तेल तरीका सभी भिन्न प्रकार के सूखे आटे को नमक के साथ मिलाएं। फिर…
  • Ragi Veg Tart Easy Diabetes Recipe
    रागी वेज टार्ट - डायबीटीज़ रेसिपी
    अधिकांश टार्ट मैदे से बनाए जाते हैं और अक्सर चीनी से भरपूर होते हैं। यह एक अलग किस्म की रेसिपी है - जो सभी के लिए अच्छी है - विशेष रूप से मधुमेह वाले लोगों के लिए । डायबीटीज़ अवेरनस ऎन्ड यू (DAY) (DAY) द्वारा योगदान। सर्विंग्स: 4 रागी वेज टार्ट के लिए सामग्री रागी (नचनी) आटा: 100 ग्राम गेहूं का आटा: 2 बड़े चम्मच मिक्स वेज (तीन रंग की शिमला मिर्च, ब्रोकोली, पत्तागोभी): 1 cup हरी मिर्च: 1  प्याज: 1 छोटा धनिया का बीज: 1/2 छोटी चम्मच (भुना और पिसा हुआ) हल्दी पाउडर: 1/4 छोटी चम्मच तेल: 1 बड़ा…
  • What is weight cycling and perils of weight cycling
    Perils of Yo-Yo Dieting
    Yo-yo diet, also called weight cycling, is fraught with dangers, both physical and psychological, and should be avoided at all costs, emphasizes Sherin Thomas, Chief Nutritionist, Aster MIMS Hospital, Calicut. Could you tell us a little about Yo-yo dieting? Yo-yo dieting is known as weight cycling. It is a cyclical loss and gain of weight same as like the up and down motion of a yoyo. In this diet, by having a hypo caloric diet (diet low in calorie), a person loses a good amount of weight, but…
  • A man in a white tshirt and black trousers with the text - My Formula for healthy weight loss
    How I Lost Weight The Healthy Way
    Deepto Roy recounts how he managed to achieve an almost impossible personal goal last year. In spite of the pandemic, he managed to lose 28 kilos in a year and go on to maintain that loss. Why did you decide to lose weight? I have always struggled with weight. I guess I had some form of genetic predisposition to put on weight. But I was very active all the way through college so that helped to keep the weight off. Once I joined work, things changed. My lifestyle became more sedentary and bad…
  • A family with three generations sitting around a dining table
    बुजुर्गों के लिए भोजन में संशोधन
    जब आपके प्रियजनों की उम्र बढ़ती है, तो उनके लिए सही आहार का प्रबंध करना अधिक ज़रूरी हो जाता है, क्योंकि अधिकाँश केस में अनुचित भोजन लेना अधिक तनाव और परेशानी का कारण बनता है। इस लेख में डॉ। भुवनेश्वरी अपने माता-पिता की प्राथमिक देखभालकर्ता होने के अनुभवों के आधार पर कुछ सरल सुझाव दे रही हैं। बुजुर्गों के आहार पर ध्यान देना बहुत जरूरी है क्योंकि आहार के पैटर्न को बदलने से कुछ ऐसी सामान्य समस्याओं में सुधार हो सकता है जो कई बुजुर्गों में पायी जाती हैं. हमें इस पहलू पर अपनी भारतीय सन्दर्भ (जैसे कि…
  • Collage of a heart and lung transplant recipient who had congenital hole in heart
    This Covid Situation Is Like Living The Transplant Life All Over Again
    Mili Vakilna, 22 is a hotel management student who underwent a very rare combined heart and double lung transplant at the tender age of 20. She recalls her challenges through school and the pre and post transplant period. Plus what helped her regulate emotions of depression and anxiety.   What were the onset symptoms for your trouble? When was it? I was born with a hole in my heart, which was corrected with a ventricular septal defect surgery (VSD) when I was 2 years old. It happens…
  • I Cannot Stop Living Due To Fear Of Death
    Dr. Vidisha Vallabh, 34 from Dehradun shares in great detail the challenges of living with Pulmonary Hypertension, dealing with the emotional challenges, the support of her family and how she has had to relook at her priorities and learn to accept her situation. Please tell us about your condition. What were the early symptoms? What made you go see a doctor? I have been diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension in the year 2019. Severe Fatigue, Fever, Anxiety, Mild Cough, Blue nail beds were the…
  • Pulmonary Hypertension Will Not Take Away My Dreams
    Roshni Chaudhari, 28 who was born with a congenital heart disease, has spent the last 20 years of her life coping with the challenges associated with Pulmonary Hypertension. She talks about her journey to acceptance and about her dreams. Please tell us a bit about your condition  I have Congenital Heart Disease – a Ventricular Septal Defect, that is unoperated. Because of this I also have secondary Pulmonary Hypertension (PH), i.e. a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in…
  • Patient Centred Tips For Cardiac Rehabilitation
    Dr Kalyani Nityanandan, 85-year-old Chennai based cardiologist, who pioneered the first cardiac rehabilitation facility in Tamil Nadu, shares her vast knowledge on recovery and staying well after cardiac arrest. Let me begin with a real life case. A middle-aged man has a sudden cardiac arrest. With competent care and some luck, he is saved. He is discharged from the hospital with his heart and arteries in reasonably good shape. The doctors advise cardiac rehabilitation, along with a flood of…
  • The author Dr Kalyani, a heart patient in a red sari and smiling
    कोरोना हो या कोरोनरी (हार्ट अटैक) - खुद को स्वस्थ बनाए रखें
    डॉ। कल्याणी नित्यानंदन, एक 85 वर्षीय कार्डियोलॉजिस्ट, अकेले रहती हैं। इस लेख में वे हमारे साथ साझा करती हैं कि कैसे कार्डियक इमरजेंसी के लिए खुद को तैयार करें और कोविड -19 लॉकडाउन के दौरान खुद को खुश और उत्साहित कैसे रखें। जब तक मेरी माँ वरिष्ठ नागरिक बनने की उम्र तक पहुँचीं, तब तक वे विधवा बन चुकी थीं और वे अपना कोई घर नहीं चला रही थीं। उनके दो बच्चे चेन्नई में ही थे और दो भारत में अन्य जगह थे। वे अपना समय उन के बीच विभाजित कर रही थीं। हर घर में उन्होंने अपने कुछ जोड़ी कपड़े छोड़े हुए थे, और साथ…