- Avoid
prolonged bed rest. If bed rest is unavoidable such as in
pregnancy or other medical conditions that require you to
remain inactive, it's important that you remember to move
your legs on a regular basis even if it's just swinging
them over the side of your bed a few times an hour or
putting your knees up and down several times.
- If
you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start! Smoking
is especially dangerous for people at risk for DVT.
- As
always, regular exercise is important to reduce your risk
of blood clots forming in your legs. Ask your physician
what type of exercise is best for you.
- If
you have severe varicose veins, the use of support
stockings can help decrease the chance that a blood clot
will form.
- Although the risk of developing blood clots during a long flight is relatively low, you can reduce this risk even further by taking a single low-dose aspirin such as St. Joseph's 81 mg Pure Aspirin before you board the plane; however, it's important to note that people who suffer from stomach ulcers or indigestion could wind up with bleeding in the stomach using aspirin which thins the blood. Always consult your physician before taking any type of aspirin as a preventative measure against blood clots or heart disease. Of course, as stated above, it's important to try to get up and walk about at least once an hour when on a long airplane flight. Other tips for airline passengers include wiggling your toes, flexing your ankles, avoiding crossing your legs, and drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol which will dehydrate you and increase your risk of DVT. If you have a particularly high risk for DVT, always consult your physician before taking any airline trips.
Sometimes, before scheduled surgery you may be given drugs called anti-coagulants. After surgery, you may awaken to find your legs wrapped with special support stockings to prevent blood clots from forming during inactivity while you are recuperating in bed.
If deep vein thrombosis is diagnosed the first course of treatment is usually hospitalization and bed rest. Treatments include those designed to relieve symptoms such as moist heat to reduce pain, and more importantly treatments that prevent the clot from traveling to other areas of the body. Fortunately, in most cases, the blood clot will dissolve on its own.
According to the PREVENT Trial of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, when pharmaceutical treatment is necessary, "The initial treatment for deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism is a blood-thinning medication called heparin. It is usually followed by an oral, blood-thinning medication called warfarin (Coumadin) for three to six months. Unfortunately, as many as one of every three people who complete warfarin therapy develop another deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism within five years. The PREVENT trial is trying to determine if the long-term use of low intensity warfarin will safely prevent these recurrent events."
Other drugs that are sometimes used are thrombolytics which dissolve blood clots. Whatever treatment your physician prescribes, it's absolutely imperative that you follow the dosing schedule exactly as prescribed.
