If vein disease has upped your risk for deep vein thrombosis, you’ll be excited to learn about new DVT treatment options. Remember, a DVT is a blood clot that forms in the deep veins of your legs. We consider this condition a medical emergency, because if clots break free, they can travel to your lungs. There, as a pulmonary embolism, this clot could become fatal. So seeking treatment for a blood clot in the leg could be key to saving your life. And now, thanks to research coming from Turkey, there’s a new form of deep vein thrombosis treatment designed to help prevent dangerous complications!
But, before we explore this new development, let's learn more about all types of thrombosis!
You'll have a thrombosis if a clot forms in one of your blood vessels, arteries or veins. They can form in many different places in your body, some of which can prove fatal.
The two main thrombosis types are:
The blood clot forms in vessels that transport blood from the heart to the body. This kind of thrombosis is a common cause of strokes and heart attacks.
This type of thrombosis form in the vein that transport oxygen-depleted blood back to your heart, from other parts of the body. Again, they can form anywhere, but these types of thrombosis often form in the deep veins of your legs. And here's why.
As we mentioned, DVTs are a type of blood clot. And blood clots form when your veins or arteries don’t work the way they should. You see, when your circulatory system is health, your blood can travel easily throughout your body. The arteries carry oxygen-rich blood from your heart to your extremities. Then your veins return blood to your heart to get an infusion of oxygen.
Sometimes, the system gets disrupted when you hurt yourself. If you sustain a cut that makes you bleed, blood near the site of injury will start to clot. That way, your cut can heal without making you lose too much blood. Clearly, that’s the kind of clot you want to develop.
But sometimes, clots can form even when you didn’t get hurt. This could happen if your arteries are blocked by plaque. Or, these clots may form in your veins, often because they were weakened or damaged, causing your body to increase production of clotting proteins and platelets.
Prolonged sitting or standing can also increase your risk for DVT. That’s why a long air flight could leave you seeking DVT treatment. Why is that the case? When you don’t move for an extended period, blood pools in your legs. This can make it harder for your veins to get blood out of your lower extremities. In turn, your DVT risk increases. Especially if you already have symptoms of vein disease such as spider or varicose veins.
In some cases, a DVT can develop without any warning signs. But many people report symptoms such as swelling in the affected leg. You may also experience leg pain, cramping, or a sore spot on your skin. The area around the clot may also appear red, and can be warm to the touch.
If you’re diagnosed with a DVT, you may need medications such as blood thinners or thrombolytics. If these medications aren’t an option, you may need an internal filter to help break up the clot. Regardless of the treatment you receive, you’ll likely be told to wear compression stockings.
In fact, you may begin compression therapy while you’re receiving other forms of DVT treatment. By doing so, you can dramatically reduce your risk for complications such as clots that remain in your veins. It also lowers your risk for post-thrombotic syndrome, a condition that leaves you with lingering symptoms such as swelling, pain and discoloration of your leg skin.
Recently, Turkish health care INVAMED-RD Global developed a deep vein thrombosis treatment designed to quickly dissolve the clot. Instead of relying on prescription medications, their technology uses three internal access points and an active tip to targets clots directly.
Once the tech gets near your clot, that tip softens up the clot with strong rotational movements, making it easier to dissolve. Then, it delivers a combination of a thrombolytic medication and a contrast agent, finishing the job at a faster rate than traditional treatment options.
Why does that matter? Well, as we said, DVTs can breaks free and become pulmonary embolisms. And about 33% of patients with a PE die if they don’t receive immediate attention. Even without a PE, about one in three patients whose DVT care proceeds slowly develop post-thrombosis syndrome. So, developing a new deep vein thrombosis treatment that delivers fast results? That could mean a better quality of life for so many patients with vein disease.
Some patients face the challenge of chronic DVTs, severely disrupting their daily lives and regularly putting their health in peril. Previously, this was a very challenging condition to treat. However, a recent study revealed that using endovascular procedures to open up your veins with a stent could provide relief to patients with even the most persistent of recurring clots. Luckily, our vein experts already provide this kind of care, making our Texas clinics your one-stop destination for blood clot relief.
Are you concerned that vein disease has increased your risk for DVT? Don’t wait for problems to develop. Schedule an appointment todaySchedule an appointment todaySchedule an appointment today with our team of Houston and Dallas area vein specialists. We can manage your vein health and provide preventative care so that you never need to worry about seeking DVT treatment.
Sources: Mayo Clinic
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