How does thrombosis occur

Blood clots most often start in the legs and travel up through the right side of the heart and into the lungs. This is called DVT.

If you develop signs or symptoms of DVT , contact your doctor. If you develop signs or symptoms of a pulmonary embolism PE — a life-threatening complication of deep vein thrombosis — seek emergency medical help.

The main causes of DVT are damage to a vein from surgery or trauma and inflammation due to infection or injury. Many things can increase your risk of developing DVT. The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk of DVT. Risk factors for DVT include:. Pulmonary embolism PE. PE is a potentially life-threatening complication associated with DVT. It occurs when a blood vessel in your lung becomes blocked by a blood clot thrombus that travels to your lung from another part of your body, usually your leg.

It's important to get immediate medical help if you have signs and symptoms of PE. Sudden shortness of breath, chest pain while inhaling or coughing, rapid breathing, rapid pulse, feeling faint or fainting, and coughing up blood may occur with a PE.

If you're on a plane, stand or walk occasionally. If you can't do that, exercise your lower legs. Doctors use several different methods to diagnose the presence of a thrombus. For example, they may use:. A doctor may request blood tests to check for a genetic blood clotting disorder. This may be necessary in cases of repeated unexplained blood clots. The procedure can involve directly accessing and unblocking an affected artery.

In other cases, the surgeon will divert blood flow or completely bypass the blocked artery. Inferior vena cava IVC filters are small mesh devices that a surgeon can put in the inferior vena cava a large vein , usually under local anesthetic. The IVC filter traps fragments of the blood clot and prevents them from reaching the heart and lungs.

An IVC filter can be permanent, and doctors typically combine this treatment with anticoagulation medication therapy where possible. Anticoagulants, or blood thinners, have a misleading name; they do not give the blood a thinner consistency. When taking anticoagulant medications, a person should visit a specialized anticoagulant management service instead of a primary care physician. If anticoagulants are not effective, or if a person does not tolerate them well, a doctor will consider other treatment options.

Doctors may recommend that people wear compression stockings while taking anticoagulant therapy for DVT. As well as wearing compression stockings, people should try to keep the affected leg elevated above hip level during the night. This can relieve pressure in the veins, improve blood circulation, and help prevent complications.

Once a doctor has prescribed compression stockings, they will usually recommend more frequent walking to stimulate blood circulation. It is not always possible to prevent a thrombus. However, people can take steps to reduce their risk. It is particularly important for a person to move around as much as possible after a surgical procedure or during long distance travel. When arterial thrombosis occurs in a blood vessel in the brain, it can lead to a stroke. The symptoms of thrombosis may look like other blood disorders or health problems.

Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis. Your healthcare provider will take your medical history and give you a physical exam. Other tests may include:. Thrombosis can block the blood flow in both veins and arteries. Complications depend on where the thrombosis is located. The most serious problems include stroke, heart attack, and serious breathing problems.

Health Home Conditions and Diseases. There are 2 main types of thrombosis: Venous thrombosis is when the blood clot blocks a vein. Veins carry blood from the body back into the heart. Arterial thrombosis is when the blood clot blocks an artery. Arteries carry oxygen-rich blood away from the heart to the body.

What causes thrombosis? Video via Vascular Cures. The most common and effective treatment is to administer anticoagulants clotting prevention agents. These drugs block the formation of new clots. Initially, injections of heparin or low-molecular weight heparin are used because they act within hours. For longer term treatment, patients have a variety of medications that can help. Direct oral anticoagulants DOACs are the guideline recommended treatments.

They are newer drugs that work by blocking specific clotting factors. Another medication used is warfarin. It is the more traditional therapy and has been used for the past 50 years. It is often sold under the brand name Coumadin and taken orally.

Unlike, heparin or low-molecular weight heparin, days is needed before warfarin reaches full therapeutic effect. This can take anywhere from weeks to years, although some blood clots do not go away.