Blood clots, also called deep vein thrombosis, can form in the leg or arm, often resulting in pain or swelling in the area. The clots usually occur because of prolonged inactivity. This can happen to people recuperating from injury or surgery and also affects people who sit for long hours. Travelers who stay seated in planes or trains for extended periods may be at risk. Clots pose serious dangers because they can break off, travel through the blood vessels and heart and block arteries carrying blood to the lungs in a condition called pulmonary embolism.
Blood Thinners
Heparin is a fast-acting anticoagulant, or blood thinner, administered intravenously or through injection, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Blood thinners slow the blood’s ability to clot and prevent clots from getting larger. The body dissolves clots that have already formed in time. Warfarin, taken in pill form, may be given later and used as treatment for three to six months to keep other clots from forming. The medication can cause bleeding, and patients often have blood tests to make sure more clots are not forming. Thrombolytics quickly dissolve clots but cause excessive bleeding and are only used in life-threatening situations.
Catheters
Doctors may use a flexible tube, called a catheter, in some cases of pulmonary embolism. They insert the catheter into the groin or arm and thread it through a vein to reach the clot in the lung. Doctors extract the clot through the catheter or deliver medicine to dissolve the blood clot.
Filtering
Some people cannot take blood thinners because of certain conditions, such as bleeding ulcers. At other times, blood thinners are not effective. Doctors can insert a filter into the vein that transports blood from the legs to the heart and lungs, according to the Merck Manuals Online Library. The filter traps clots if they move through the bloodstream and prevents them from traveling upward through the body.
Elevation and Compression
Elevating the legs as much as possible reduces the pain and swelling for people with deep vein thrombosis. Compression stockings worn from the foot to the knee put pressure on the leg to help prevent blood from pooling and clotting, according to the Mayo Clinic. People who have had clots have an increased risk of developing more clots. In some cases, the compression stockings are worn for a year to prevent further clotting. Patients are also advised to exercise and move around whenever possible when sitting for long periods to avoid the formation of clots.
