what is DVT?

Question

this is the disease.

Answer 1

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot (thrombus) that develops in a deep vein, usually in the lower leg. Deep vein thrombosis can cause pain in the leg and calf; swelling in the ankle or leg, and can potentially lead to complications. About 1-3 people in 1000 develop a DVT each year in the UK.



A DVT usually develops in a deep vein in the leg but it can occur elsewhere, such as the arm. Deep veins pass through the center of the leg and are surrounded by the muscles.

A DVT is different to blood clots that form in a separate set of veins (called superficial veinssuch as spider or varicose veins) that lie under the skin. These clots are called superficial thrombophlebitis and are much less serious.

Normally, during bleeding, blood clots outside a blood vessel. This is a normal process which protects the body against losing blood. If the blood clots inside a blood vessel however (as with DVT), this can be dangerous.


In most cases of DVT, the clots are small and do not cause any symptoms. The body is able to gradually break down the clot and there are no long-term effects.


It is uncommon for DVT to cause any further problems but potential complications include the following.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) happens when a piece of the blood clot breaks off and travels in the bloodstream to become lodged in the lungs and block blood flow. This can happen hours or even days after the formation of a clot in the calf veins. It may cause chest pain and shortness of breath. You should seek emergency medical treatment as a pulmonary embolism can be fatal in severe cases.

Post thrombotic syndrome happens if a DVT damages the valves in the vein, so that instead of flowing upwards, the blood pools in the lower leg. This can result in pain, swelling and ulcers on the leg.

DVT is a serious health problem.


A DVT can be caused by a damaged vein or if the flow of blood slows down or stops.


There are certain risk factors that make a DVT more likely to occur. These include:

= age - as people over 40 are at greater risk of DVT
= a past history of DVT
= a family history of DVT
= an inherited condition that makes the blood more likely to clot than usual
= prolonged immobility such as in long haul flights lasting for 4 hrs or more
= obesity
= recent surgery or an injury, especially to the hips or knees
= pregnancy
having recently had a baby
having cancer and its treatments
taking a contraceptive pill that contains oestrogen - but most modern pills contain a low-dose, which increases the risk by an amount that is acceptable for most women
hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - but for many women, the other benefits outweigh the increase in risk of DVT
treatment for other circulation or heart problems

Answer 2

DVT is the abbrevation for Deep Venous Thrombosis. In DVT, blood coagulates (especially) in veins of lower extremities and if a minute piece of thrombus detaches from there, very serious complications such as pulmonary emboli can be seen

Answer 3

A DVT is a condition wherein a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a vein of the deep system

Answer 4

A clot in a deep vein, usually the leg. Symptoms may include pain, swelling or no symptoms at all. If untreated, the clot could travel to the lungs.
If a clot in a vein breaks off and travels through your bloodstream, it can lodge in your lung. This is called pulmonary embolism (PUL-mo-ner-e EM-bo-lizm), which is a very serious condition that can cause death. Blood clots in the thigh are usually more likely to break off and cause pulmonary embolism than clots in the lower leg or other parts of the body.

A blood clot also can occur in veins that are close to the surface of the skin. This type of blood clot is called superficial venous thrombosis or phlebitis (fle-BI-tis). Blood clots in superficial veins are not dangerous because they can’t travel to the lungs.


Although DVT can strike young, otherwise healthy adults*, it most frequently occurs following trauma, major surgery, prolonged immobility (including airline travel), or in patients who have a coagulation disorder. Other risk factors include obesity, smoking, and hypertension. Chronic medical conditions, such as heart failure and cancer, as well as oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), also increase the risk of DVT.

Heredity can also play a role. Factor V Leiden mutation, deficiencies of protein C and protein S, and prothrombin gene mutation are inherited coagulation disorders that can increase a patient's susceptibility to DVT. When DVT occurs without a known cause it is called idiopathic

The majority of blood clots in the venous system begin in the legs. Patients may feel calf pain and tenderness. Redness, warmth, and leg swelling may accompany the discomfort. Some patients are not aware of any symptoms.
The symptoms of DVT or pulmonary embolism are often difficult to distinguish from other medical disorders. To help establish a diagnosis, your doctor may conduct tests such as venography, ultrasonography, angiography, computed tomography, or a ventilation/perfusion scan.

It is important to implement measures which may help prevent a DVT. Maintain a healthy lifestyle with diet, exercise, and smoking cessation. Ask your healthcare provider what steps you can take to help prevent a DVT during air travel or after surgery or trauma. Also, inform your healthcare provider if you have a family history or abnormal tests for blood clotting disorders.

DVT is treated with anticoagulants. Initial therapy is a combination of two anticoagulants: heparin and warfarin. Heparin (given intravenously or by injection) is co-administered with oral warfarin. After warfarin becomes effective, heparin is stopped. The proper dose of warfarin is based on a blood test that determines the International Normalized Ratio (INR). The PT/INR test determines how fast your blood is clotting and whether your dosage of warfarin needs adjustment. Your healthcare provider will determine the dose of warfarin, when to have an INR test, and how long to continue therapy. It is very important to have PT/INR tests performed at periodic intervals throughout the entire course of therapy to keep PT/INR in the appropriate range for the medical condition.

Answer 5

DVT is Deep Vein Thrombosis.
it means clot formation in the deep veins of ur legs. though its not a dangerous thing u need to take care. this clot can some times migrate to ur lungs and block the blood supply to them . then it is called Pulmonary embolism and can be serious.
SO, u need to consult a good doctors for further treatment on medications to dissolve these clots in ur legs.
all the best

Answer 6

DVT stands for deep venous thrombosis. ( Now often called VTE venous thrombo embolism)

It is a clot in one of the deep veins of the leg. It is more common in women. Without the pill it occurs spontaneously in 5-15 women/100,000/year. The pill increases it to 25/100,000 and pregnancy to 50/100.000.
In both sexes it is increases by immobility, which often occurs in illness and hospitalisation, and after fractures.

If the clot stays put it is eventually reabsorbed. However fragments may break off and float into the lungs causing a pulmonary embolism which is potentially fatal.

Treatment involves anticoagulation, usually with warfarin for several months.

Answer 7

a DVT is a deep vein thrombosis, a blood clot in the legs it can move up the the heart and cause a heart attack or it can move to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism, if you have one be very careful, you need to talk to a doc, if it is bad enough they do surgery, but if it was caught in time simple bed rest, and blood thinner/anti coagulant like commadine can take care of it.A lot of people were support stalkings called TED hose you can get them at pharmacies and at med supply stores, They are commonly cause in the elderly or in people that do work that cuts the circulation down in the legs, truck driver, roofers, people that have had surgery, train conductors ,people that don't get to stretch their legs alot, one of the risk factors are high blood pressure

Answer 8

dvt is not a disease , you cannot pass it on to someone else or catch it

deep vein thrombosis basically a blood clot can break loose and cause a heart attack

Answer 9

It's called Deep vein thrombosis and usually occurs when there isn't much movement in the leg for example if you've had an operation or when flying. A blood clot will form which will travel along the body and can kill you. You can buy special stockings in your local high street pharmacy to combat this.

Answer 10

It is a Vascular disease called deep vein thrombosis.