BLOOD CLOTS: THE SILENT KILLER

Thrombosis is the abnormal and life-threatening presence of blood clots, which can result in hospitalization, a long healing period, and possibly death. A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms deep within a vein in the leg or pelvis. It can break off and move to the lungs via the blood vessels, resulting in a pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT and PE are known as venous thromboembolism (VTE).

WHO ARE AT RISK?

Men and women of various ages, races, and ethnicities can develop venous thromboembolism (VTE). If you have any of the following, you may be at risk for VTE:

• Major surgical procedures
• Significant orthopaedic surgery
• Paralysis of the lower extremities owing to spinal cord injury
• Pelvic, hip, or long bone fractures
• Multiple traumatic events
• Cancer – all malignancies raise the risk, especially if they have spread widely and if they are lung, brain, lymphoma, gynecologic (ovary or uterus) or gastrointestinal cancers (like pancreas or stomach). Chemotherapy and cancer surgery increase the danger much more in cancer patients.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Keep an eye out for signs and symptoms of VTE and seek medical attention if they appear.

• Redness, swelling, and pain in an extremity, generally the leg, are indications of DVT. If this happens, go to the emergency room so doctors can check for a clot.
• Shortness of breath, chest pain, and a fast heart rate are indications of PE. These are life-threatening symptoms that should be reported promptly.

HOW DOES INTERMITTENT PNEUMATIC COMPRESSION HELP WITH VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM?

While exercising regularly, moving your legs when sitting for lengthy periods, keeping a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking are some ways to prevent VTE, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression is now gaining popularity in its potential to prevent VTE. 

Intermittent Pneumatic Compression effectively lowered the risk of VTE in one study of hospitalized patients. Further, in another investigation, Intermittent pneumatic compression was found to be more effective than compression stockings in reducing the incidence of VTE in critically ill individuals for both surgical and non-surgical patients. How is this so?...

According to Virchow's Triad, stasis, activation of blood coagulation, and vein damage are three conditions that put a person at risk for thrombosis. Intermittent pneumatic compression is a mechanical device that squeezes your limbs through air-filled cuffs. This compression increases blood flow through your veins, lowering blood stasis or when blood cannot flow properly. Further, Intermittent Pneumatic Compression has been shown to reduce procoagulant activation and boost fibrinolytic activity, breaking up a clot.

If you want to learn more about compression therapy, talk to your doctor or visit Recovapro about their newly released Intermittent Pneumatic Compression device, the Recovapro Air.