According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as 900,000 Americans may develop a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) each year.
Of those, between 60,000 to 100,000 will die from their DVT, or as a result of the DVT dislodging and traveling to the lungs, where it becomes a pulmonary embolism (PE). This condition is fast-acting. Up to 30 percent of deaths from DVT/PE occur within a month of diagnosis, and in about 25 percent of patients, sudden death is the first symptom of a PE.
The risk is real: the CDC reports that up to 8 percent of the U.S. population has one of several genetic risk factors or inherited genetic defects, that make them more prone to developing a thrombosis.
Coupled with a number of other environmental and lifestyle risk factors, it’s important to be aware of just how at risk you may be, and to be familiar with the early signs and symptoms so that you can act quickly to get medical attention before you face irreversible damage or death.
What Is A DVT?
A DVT is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein in an extremity, most commonly in the thigh or lower leg. These clots tend to form when blood flow is slowed or restricted, allowing blood to pool in the legs, where it clumps together and forms clots. A DVT may be completely asymptomatic, or it may develop a number of painful or uncomfortable symptoms. It may resolve on its own or may require blood-thinning treatment to dissolve the clot, but on its own Is typically not life-threatening.