Deep Vein Thrombosis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Deep Vein Thrombosis - Essay Example This condition was chosen because it was interesting that there are so many different ways that DVT can develop. DVT is defined as a blood clot that appears in the thigh or lower leg. (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). The blood clot goes deep into the body and it is a result of blood thickening and then clumping together. When a blood clot goes deep into a vein, it can break off and move through the individual’s blood stream. Many people have heard about embolisms and this is what the loose clot is called. The blood clot can block blood flow to the lungs and heart at any time When it blocks off blood flow to the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). PE can become so severe that it can cause damage to other organs and eventually will cause death. There are many situations in which DVT can begin. In some situations, a blood clot can happen after surgery. When an individual leads a very sedentary lifestyle without a lot of movement, the blood flow can become sluggish, which can allow the blood to clot in the veins. Some causes happen because of an inherited condition, hormone therapy, or taking birth control pills (National Health Lung and Blood Institute, 2009). Most doctors and researchers say that there are only a few risk factors that they have been able to find in this situation. Some of the risk factors include injury to a deep vein after surgery, obesity, and having heart problems. Also, when people get older, they have a tendency to be more sedentary and DVT has been shown to happen in people over 60. The signs and symptoms of DVT are very subtle and most people will not know that they are ill. The other challenge is that only about 50% of people have symptoms before something larger begins to happen. Some of the signs and symptoms are: 1. Legs swelling or swelling of a vein in the leg. 2. Pain or tenderness in the leg, especially when standing or walking. 3. The leg feels warmer in one area than in the rest of the leg. 4. A read or discolored area in the skin appears. 5. PE—which can begin with â€Å"coughing up blood, an unexplained shortness of breath, pain when deep breathing or rapid breathing with a fast heart rate†.