Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)

Acute vein thrombosis means there is a blood clot in your veins.  Acute vein thrombosis most commonly starts in the legs.  Acute vein thrombosis usually causes sudden pain or swelling in the leg without another obvious cause like an injury.  Acute vein thrombosis is potentially dangerous.

If you think you have an acute vein thrombosis, you should be checked in an emergency department.  If the emergency physician is concerned that you may have a venous blood clot, you will likely get a venous ultrasound.  In the emergency department, they can also check blood work and start treatment if necessary.  If you do not have an acute vein thrombosis, the emergency physician can often determine an alternative diagnosis.

Complications of a vein thrombosis include:

• Pulmonary embolism:  The blood clot in your veins can break off and travel to your lungs.  This complication is potentially life-threatening.  Typical symptoms are chest pain or shortness of breath.  If you experience chest pain or shortness of breath, you should call 911 and go to the emergency department.  An emergency department is the best place to diagnose and treat a pulmonary embolism.
• Thrombus extension:  The blood clot in your veins can grow without treatment.  This problem can result in worse leg symptoms.
• Thrombus recurrence:  A blood clot can damage the vein wall and increase your risk to develop another blood clot in the future.
• Chronic leg symptoms:  Even after the blood clot heals, you may have chronic leg pain, chronic leg swelling, or leg skin changes from chronic inflammation.

Treatment of Acute Vein Thrombosis

Patients with vein thrombosis are often treated with blood thinners to reduce the risk of the above complications.  They can also, however, increase your risk of bleeding.  These days, there are several different types of medicines that can be used to thin you blood.

If your physician is considering starting a blood thinner, you should let them know if:

• You have had a recent spinal puncture or surgery.
• You have had bleeding problems such as bleeding stomach ulcers, gastrointestinal bleeding or other kinds of excessive bleeding.
• You have had melena, which is black, tarry stools caused by digested blood.

If you experience symptoms of significant bleeding while on blood thinners, you should call 911 and go to an emergency department.  An emergency department is the best place to diagnose and treat significant bleeding while on blood thinners.

Compression stockings help reduce acute and chronic leg symptoms if you have a blood clot.