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*Please note: This slide show represents a visual interpretation and is not intended to provide, nor substitute as medical and/or clinical advice from your doctor.
The body creates blood clots to help stop bleeding and help wounds heal.
For example, scabs are blood clots on the skin that form to stop bleeding from a cut or injury. Clots also form when we have injuries inside the body.
Most of the time, the body will get rid of the blood clot once the injury or wound heals.
However, sometimes these clots can cause problems.
Blood clots form in blood vessels within the body. Blood clots in veins close to the skin are usually not serious.
However when blood clots form in deep veins of the legs, hips, pelvis, or rarely in the arms, neck or chest, they can be dangerous and require immediate medical attention.
Another word for veins is venous.
A medical term for a blood clot is a thrombus. When this thrombus or blood clot breaks off and travels from one vein to another part of the body, it is called an embolus. Therefore, VTE stands for venous thromboembolism.
A clot which forms in a deep vein in the body is called a DVT or deep vein thrombosis. A clot that breaks off from a deep vein in the body and travels to the lungs is called a PE or a pulmonary embolism.
Most DVTs are clots that form in veins in the legs, hips or pelvis area. DVTs can sometimes form in the arms, neck, or chest area. These deep clots clog up the veins and slow down the blood flow, which can cause many symptoms.
Warning signs of a possible DVT, or clot in a deep vein include:
  • Pain in one leg or arm;
  • Swelling (usually in one leg or arm);
  • Skin that is red or not the usual color; and/or
  • Warmth in the area that has the swelling
If you have had any of these signs of DVT, you should see a doctor right away.
Of note, some people with DVT have no signs or symptoms.
When a blood clot breaks off and moves to the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism or PE.
This is a serious condition and requires rapid medical attention.
You should get emergency help if you have any of these warning signs for a blood clot (or PE) in your lungs:
  • Trouble catching your breath or breathing fast for no reason;
  • Pain in your chest (which may be worse when taking a deep breath);
  • A fast heart beat for no reason;
  • Dizziness, fainting, or passing out; and/or
  • Coughing up blood.
A big clot in the lung, or PE, can keep blood from getting to the lungs, cause heart trouble, and may be deadly.
If the clot in the lungs is recognized and you get the right care, you can recover from a PE. Damage to the lungs by a clot (or PE) can cause scarring of the lung blood vessels or other parts of the lung.
Dangerous blood clots can happen to anyone, but two risk factors make them more likely to happen:
  • Not moving for a long time (such as on a long trip or when staying in bed because you are sick or hurt); and
  • Staying in the hospital or having surgery such as hip or knee surgery.
Other risk factors include:
  • Smoking;
  • Being overweight;
  • Having an injury or trauma;
  • Having family members who have had blood clots;
  • Having cancer;
  • Taking birth control pills;
  • Having a baby; and/or
  • Being older.
The more of these risk factors you have, the more likely you are to develop VTE blood clots.
If you suspect a dangerous blood clot, see your doctor, who will ask about your symptoms and examine you.
Remember, if you have pain, swelling, redness or warmth in one leg or if you have trouble breathing, pain in your chest, fast heart beat, dizziness or fainting, or if you cough up blood, see your doctor or call 911 immediately.
Different tests are used to find clots in the body.
An ultrasound uses sound waves to form a picture of the clot inside the veins of your body.
A blood test for D-dimer indicates if your blood contains a chemical substance called D-dimer, which clots leave behind when they break up.
You might need other tests, such as a computerized tomography scan (or CT scan) of the lungs with intravenous (or IV) contrast or a ventilation-perfusion (or VQ) lung scan. These scans can show where the clot or clots are in the lungs.
VTE blood clots can cause life-long health problems and can be life-threatening. If you have risk factors for VTE you should discuss these with your doctor so that you can lower your chances of having VTE. If you have any signs of a dangerous clot, see a nurse or doctor right away so you can get proper care. It could save your life.
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Slide Show - Understanding and Diagnosing VTE

Watch this slide show to learn about the risk factors, causes, symptoms, and diagnosis of dangerous VTE blood clots. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a term that includes both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. When a blood clot forms in a deep vein in the body, it is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When that blood clot breaks off and travels to the lungs it is called a pulmonary embolism (PE).

Animation - Understanding and Diagnosing VTE

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a term that includes both deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. When a blood clot forms in a deep vein in the body, it is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). When that blood clot breaks off and travels to the lungs it is called a pulmonary embolism (PE). Watch this animation to learn about the risk factors, causes, symptoms, and diagnosis of dangerous VTE blood clots.

Expert Video - What is venous thromboembolism (VTE)?

When a blood clot forms in the veins of the body it’s called VTE, or venous thromboembolism. In this video, expert pulmonologist Dr Sandra Adams explains what VTE is and also describes the three types of VTE: (1) superficial vein thrombosis, (2) deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and (3) pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT and PE are the most dangerous types of VTE.

Expert Video - What is a blood clot and when are they dangerous?

In this video, Dr Sandra Adams explains what blood clots are and when they can be dangerous. When we get injured, blood clots normally form in the body to help stop bleeding. They usually go away once the body has healed. Dr Adams explains that blood clots that form in the deep veins can block blood flow, and might cause pain or swelling. A blood clot can be very dangerous if it breaks off from one of the deep veins and moves through the bloodstream into the vessels of the lungs. This clot blocks blood from moving normally through the vessels of the lungs and can cause low oxygen and even death.

Expert Video - What are the symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. In this video, Dr Sandra Adams explains that these kinds of clots most often form in the legs, hips or pelvis but sometimes in the arms, neck or chest area. These deep clots can clog up the veins and slow down the blood flow. Common symptoms or warning signs of DVT are swelling in one leg, pain in one leg, and/or a change in color such as redness of the skin close to the blood clot. Sometimes the skin around the swollen area feels warm to touch. If you have any of these problems, you should get medical help as soon as possible.

Expert Video - What are the symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE)?

When a blood clot travels through the bloodstream to the vessels of the lungs it is called a pulmonary embolism (PE) and it can cause a lot of problems, as pulmonologist Dr Sandra Adams explains in this video. The most common signs and symptoms include shortness of breath, cough, chest pain (particularly when breathing in), coughing up blood, fainting or feeling dizzy, breathing fast or having a fast heartbeat for no reason. A PE is an emergency and requires immediate medical attention. The good news is that if a PE is recognized quickly and you get the right care, you can recover from it. If you have any signs of a dangerous blood clot, see your doctor or call 911 immediately.

Expert Video - What are the risk factors for VTE blood clots?

In this video, Dr Sandra Adams describes who is at risk for VTE blood clots. While dangerous blood clots can happen to anyone, three kinds of risk factors make them more likely to occur. The first is not moving for a long time. This may happen when someone cannot move because of injury, illness or hospitalization. Lack of movement could also come from simply sitting too long when working, watching TV, or traveling by car or plane. The second risk factor for VTE is having too many things in the blood, called clotting factors that cause the blood to clot more than usual. Examples of this include: taking birth control pills, smoking, having cancer, inheriting a condition from your parents or getting a disease that causes an imbalance of these clotting factors in the body. The third risk factor for VTE blood clots is damage to blood vessels. Physical injury to a blood vessel, such as damage or scarring caused by an intravenous, or IV catheter, a broken bone, or a previous blood clot can make VTE blood clots more likely. The more of these factors someone has, the higher the risk of developing dangerous blood clots or VTE.

Expert Video - How is VTE diagnosed?

In this video, expert physician Dr Sandra Adams describes the common tests and procedures that are used to diagnose venous thromboembolism (VTE). If you have signs of a DVT blood clot in the leg, hip or pelvis, or in the arm, neck or chest, your doctor may order an ultrasound of the deep veins. If you have signs of a pulmonary embolism, or PE, your doctor may order a CT scan of the chest with IV contrast or a VQ scan of the chest. Also, an ultrasound of the heart (called an echocardiogram or echo for short) can sometimes discover a blood clot in the lungs.

Expert Video - Why is timely diagnosis of DVT and PE important?

As Dr Sandra Adams explains in this video, it is important to recognize a DVT and PE blood clot right away so that it can be treated as soon as possible and so that damage can be kept to a minimum. Prompt diagnosis and treatment can prevent scarring of the blood vessels and may keep additional clots from forming. Without treatment, blood clots can cause life-long health problems and can be life threatening. Recognizing and getting treatment for a dangerous clot early is your best defense.

Expert Video - Why are VTE, DVT and PE difficult to diagnose?

VTE, DVT and PE can be difficult to diagnose and a number of other conditions can cause the same or similar symptoms, explains Dr Sandra Adams in this video. While some patients may have several symptoms of VTE, others may only have a few symptoms, or may not be aware of what is happening to them. If you think you may have a dangerous blood clot, seek medical help right away. Write down your symptoms so you can discuss them with your doctor. If you know you have risk factors for VTE blood clots (such as having recently been in the hospital, suffered an injury, taken a long trip, or if you have previously had a dangerous blood clot) be sure to tell your healthcare provider.

Expert Video - How can family, caregivers and friends support people who have VTE?

In this video, Dr Sandra Adams describes how family members, caregivers and friends can support people with VTE blood clots by being aware of the symptoms, risk factors, and understanding the importance of receiving the right treatment quickly. For patients who have had surgery, family members or caregivers can help by reminding patients to be as active as possible and take any medicines or therapy, recommended by their physician.