What is deep vein thrombosis, and what makes it dangerous?
Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, are blood clots that form in large veins-usually in the legs, but sometimes in the pelvic area. If these clots leave the legs, go through the blood system, and land in the lung, then it’s called a pulmonary embolus (PE). DVT can lead to swelling, discoloration and pain to the legs. It’s not life-threatening, but it’s uncomfortable and sometimes disabling. What becomes life-threatening is the pulmonary embolism, which 600,000 Americans develop each year. How many people die from pulmonary embolism? 60,000 people die from pulmonary embolism every year. More people die of PE than of breast cancer, or AIDS or in highway accidents. In fact, if you add them all up together, those conditions cause fewer deaths than PE causes each year. What are the signs and symptoms of DVT? Fewer than half of people with DVT have symptoms such as swelling, discoloration and pain to the legs. Many times it’s actually silent, and patients don’t even know it’s there. More than half
