Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) - Complications of deep vein thrombosis
- Introduction
- Symptoms of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Causes of deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Diagnosing deep vein thrombosis
- Treating deep vein thrombosis (DVT)
- Complications of deep vein thrombosis
- Preventing deep vein thrombosis
- 'I got DVT from flying'
- 'I woke up and couldn't feel my left leg'
- 'Stay positive and be as informed as you can be'
The two main complications of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) are pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome.
Pulmonary embolism
A pulmonary embolism is the most serious complication of DVT. It happens when a piece of blood clot (DVT) breaks off and travels through your bloodstream to your lungs, where it blocks one of the blood vessels. In severe cases this can be fatal.
If the clot is small, it might not cause any symptoms. If it is medium-sized, it can cause breathing difficulties and chest pain. A large clot can cause the lungs to collapse and result in heart failure, which can be fatal.
About 1 in 10 people with an untreated DVT develops a severe pulmonary embolism.
Post-thrombotic syndrome
If you have had a DVT, you may develop long-term symptoms in your calf known as post-thrombotic syndrome. This affects around 20-40% of people with a history of DVT.
If you have DVT, the blood clot in the vein of your calf can divert the flow of blood to other veins, causing an increase in pressure. This can affect the tissues of your calf and lead to symptoms that include:
- calf pain
- swelling
- a rash
- ulcers on the calf (in severe cases)
When a DVT develops in your thigh vein, there is an increased risk of post-thrombotic syndrome occurring. It is also more likely to occur if you are overweight or if you have had more than one DVT in the same leg.
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