Blood clots: They cause more deaths than you know

Jun 03, 2018 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine

Do you know that blood clots are the most common reason why people get heart attacks and stroke? Abnormal blood clotting is responsible for many life-threatening conditions and it’s not often emphasized how important it is for us to try to prevent abnormal clotting in our bodies.
Today we will highlight the seriousness around blood clots so that you can understand how to minimize your risk of getting a life-threatening clot.

WHAT ARE BLOOD CLOTS?

Blood clots are differently-sized clumps of blood that have formed inside your body. Clotting is important to prevent excessive bleeding if you are injured or cut. However, when a blood clot blocks blood flow to important areas of your body, it can be harmful or deadly. Blood clots can occur in your arms and legs, abdomen (stomach), heart, lungs, brain, and kidneys.
There are two different types of blood clots. These include clots that stay in place and don’t move (thrombosis) and those that break away from the spot where they developed and move to different areas inside your body (embolism). Depending on what the clot blocks or where it moves to, a blood clot can be deadly.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HAVING A BLOOD CLOT?

Symptoms are different depending on where the blood clot is located. If the clot is in your arms or legs, you can experience pain (that feels like an intense cramp), swelling, and tenderness. Your skin may be red and warm to the touch where the clot is located. If the blood clot is in your abdomen, you may experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Blood clots that travel to your heart cause a heavy feeling or pain in your chest, pain in your upper body, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and light-headedness. If the clot moves to your lungs, you could experience sharp chest pain, a racing heart, shortness of breath, sweating, and fever. You may cough up blood.
A blood clot in the brain may cause weakness in your face, arms, or legs, speech and vision difficulties, headache, and dizziness. Many of these symptoms are the symptoms associated with other conditions, such as heart attacks and stroke.

WHAT CAUSES BLOOD CLOTS?

Your body reacts to an injury or cut by clotting your blood just the way it should. These types of clots are not a problem. Sometimes a blood clot will form without a trigger (such as an injury or cut). This is more likely to happen with certain risk factors or conditions. Risk factors include:
• Prolonged sitting. This is often the case with travel where you are forced to sit for long periods.
• Prolonged bed rest. This is often the case with surgery or illness.
• Pregnancy.
• Smoking.
• Obesity.
• Birth control pills/hormone replacement therapy/breast cancer medicines.
• Certain cancer types (pancreatic, lung, multiple myeloma, or blood-related cancers).
• Trauma (serious injury).
• Some types of major surgery.
• Age (especially over the age of 60).
• A family history of blood clots.
• Autoimmune disorders (your immune system attacking your body)
• Certain infections (HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C or Lyme disease).
HOW ARE BLOOD CLOTS DIAGNOSED?
Whether you go to your doctor’s office or an emergency room, the doctor will examine your symptoms. The doctor also will ask you questions that may help him/her to figure out the cause of the blood clot. He/She will do further testing depending on the area of the blood clot.

CAN BLOOD CLOTS BE PREVENTED OR AVOIDED?
Blood clots are highly preventable. To prevent or avoid a blood clot, know your personal risk factors and control the risks you can. For example, if you smoke, stop. If you are obese, lose weight. If you take birth control pills, talk to your doctor about an effective alternative. If you are inactive, get moving. If you have a family history of blood clots, talk to your doctor. Your doctor may determine whether you should be taking blood-thinning medicine to prevent clots.

HOW ARE BLOOD CLOTS TREATED?
A blood clot is treated based on where it is located. Blood thinner medicines are the most common treatments for blood clots. Some medicines can be given through a catheter (a long, thin tube) inserted into the area of the clot. Some clots can be surgically removed. If your blood clot is due to an infection, your doctor may be able to treat the infection and reduce the risk of a clot.

WHAT IS LIFE LIKE WITH A BLOOD CLOT?
If detected early, a blood clot can usually be treated successfully. If it was not treated early, your quality of life depends on the seriousness of the damage. For example, a blood clot can cause stroke and death.
If you’ve successfully survived a blood clot, you may live with the fear of having another. In that case, living with blood clots involves focusing on prevention. If you are being treated with blood thinner medicines, you have to be careful not to cut yourself. The medicine can make it difficult to stop the bleeding.
Now that you know about blood clots, take the steps to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of it.