DVT Awareness Month: What You Need to Know About Preventing Blood Clots

Every year in the United States, up to 300,000 people die when a blood clot breaks loose from where it formed in a deep vein (usually in a leg) and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs, where it can get lodged in a pulmonary artery, block blood flow, strain your heart, and cause a fatal pulmonary embolism (PE).   

These blood clots — called deep vein thromboses (DVTs) — are common and dangerous, but fortunately, they’re also preventable.  

This March, in recognition of DVT Awareness Month, our board-certified specialists at Vascular Vein Centers take a closer look at specific actions to protect yourself against blood clots — starting with getting to know your personal risk factors for developing one.   

Get to know your DVT risk

Although anyone can develop a blood clot, certain factors make the problem more likely. For example, your DVT risk is higher if you have a family history of DVT, blood clots, or clotting disorders. Your risk is also higher once you reach middle age. 

In fact, once you turn 50, your DVT risk is essentially twice that of a younger adult. That risk doubles every 10 years for the rest of your life — simply because of age-related vascular changes. Other major risk DVT risk factors include:

• Smoking cigarettes or vaping (tobacco use)
• Having a blood clotting disorder or varicose veins
• Recent surgery or immobilization (injury recovery)
• Prolonged inactivity (i.e., long-distance travel) 
• Being overweight, pregnant, or recently pregnant
• Taking hormone therapy or hormonal birth control
• Living with an autoimmune disease (i.e., lupus)
• Having cancer and going through chemotherapy 

This is why, for example, doctors won’t prescribe hormone therapy or hormonal birth control to women who smoke. A recent study found that smoking acts “synergistically with hormonal contraceptive use to increase a woman’s DVT risk nearly nine-fold, compared to non-smokers who use hormonal birth control.” 

DVT prevention strategies

Recognizing your DVT risk level is the first step toward prevention: With this knowledge, you can take specific, actionable steps to lower your chances of developing a blood clot. 

Low or average DVT risk 

Here’s what every adult should do to lower their DVT risk:

Move regularly

Don’t sit too long — for every hour of sitting, stand up, walk, or exercise for a few minutes. If you can’t get up or walk around, you can stimulate lower extremity circulation with heel raises and ankle circle exercises.   

Avoid prolonged inactivity 

Limit sitting or standing still to an hour or less. Stillness slows lower extremity circulation, making blood thicker and more likely to clump (coagulate). When you’re on a long-haul flight, get up and walk around at least once an hour; pull over and get out of your car once an hour when you’re on a long drive.  

Maintain a healthy weight

If you’re overweight, losing just 5-10% of your total body weight can lower your DVT risk. 

Stay properly hydrated

Dehydrated blood is stickier and more likely to clot. When you’re hydrated, however, your blood is more liquid and less likely to form into viscid clumps. Maintaining pale yellow or clear urine most of the time is a good sign that you’re well-hydrated. 

Quit smoking ASAP

If you smoke, take steps to quit. Nicotine is the single DVT risk factor that triggers all three clot-forming mechanisms at once — blood vessel damage, reduced circulation, and sticky, viscous blood. 

Manage chronic illness

Heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and cancer are some of the chronic illnesses that make blood clots more likely. If you have a chronic disease, proper management can also support DVT prevention.

Moderate or high DVT risk 

Adults who have an increased DVT risk — either because of older age, family history, a smoking habit, a recent pregnancy, or several simultaneous factors — may additionally benefit from:

Expert evaluation

If your “DVT risk bucket” is full — basically, if you have three or more risk factors — it’s a good idea to see our team for a comprehensive evaluation. With diagnostic ultrasound imaging, we can take a closer look at your vascular health and recommend targeted therapies based on your risk factors and what we see. 

Medication 

If you have a high DVT risk, we may prescribe anticoagulant medications (blood thinners) to help prevent the formation of blood clots. In some cases, we may recommend taking a daily aspirin to lower the risk of clotting.  

Compression therapy

Compression stockings provide a lower extremity “circulatory assist” that supports improved blood flow and a reduced blood clot risk. Compression garment use can be especially helpful for pregnant women with other DVT risk factors, as well as for those whose jobs keep them on their feet all day.  

Your partner in vascular health

Are you worried about your DVT risk? We can help. Schedule your visit at the nearest Vascular Vein Centers office in College Park of Orlando, Kissimmee, Waterford Lakes of East Orlando, Lake Mary, Davenport/Haines City, or The Villages, Florida, today.