shopsigvaris.com - March 01 2023

Stand up to DVT in Sigvaris

DVT(deep vein thrombosis) is a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in the deep veins of the lower leg, blocking blood flow. It can lead to leg swelling, redness, and pain, but can also occur without any symptoms. DVT can become a life-threatening condition if the blood clot breaks loose from its original location in the vein and travels through the bloodstream into the lungs. This potentially fatal event is known as pulmonary embolism (PE). Read on to find out more about DVT in general and what you can do to help prevent it.

Wear graduated compression to help prevent DVT.

What is deep vein thrombosis?

What is DVT? Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) initially occurs when a blood clot forms in the lower leg veins, and often happens without any noticeable symptoms.

What causes it?  Deep vein thrombosis is usually caused by a combination of different underlying conditions, such as:
restricted movement; infections or inflammation; injury; conditions that cause blood to coagulate more easily; pregnancy; etc. 

What are some lasting effects of DVT? About one out of every three patients with previous DVT will develop a long-term complication known as post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS), despite optimal anticoagulant treatment.

PTS is a progressive disease and it can show up as chronic pain, swelling, and discoloration of the leg and, in late stages, as open leg ulcers. The likelihood of another clot forming is high once you have had a DVT event. The effects of PTS are long lasting and can lessen your quality of life substantially.

 Another complication of DVT is a condition known as pulmonary embolism (PE) which occurs when a blood clot breaks loose and travels through the vessel to the lungs. A pulmonary embolism can be fatal if the blood clot significantly blocks blood flow through the lungs.

What are the symptoms of DVT?

Nearly half of all DVT cases have no noticeable symptoms. If symptoms are present, they can include leg pain and tenderness, swelling in the calf muscle, ankle, foot, or thigh – usually in one leg only. At times, the skin feels warm and is reddened.

Diagnosis of DVT can be made quickly with a simple ultrasound scan that is painless and risk-free.

Are you at risk for developing DVT?

Are you over 60? Are you traveling long distances, thereby sitting for prolonged time with restricted mobility? Are you overweight and/or lead a sedentary lifestyle? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be at risk for developing DVT.

• Surgery (especially orthopedic) or major injury
• Smoking
• Varicose veins
• High levels of estrogen, such as during pregnancy or when using birth control pills (hormonal contraception)
• Cancer
• Prolonged bed rest or immobility, e.g. during hospitalization
• Sitting for prolonged periods without moving, such as long-distance travel or TV binge watching

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