5 Unexpected Risks for Deep Vein Thrombosis

You may have heard that sitting for long periods of time increases your risk of developing a blood clot deep within your veins. Deep vein thrombosis is the medical term for this (DVT). This disorder, which mainly affects the lower leg or thigh, has surgery as a known risk factor. Many other DVT hazards, on the other hand, are less well-known.

Blood clots, also known as venous thromboembolism, can cause fatal obstructions in the lungs' blood flow.

Knowing the risk factors can help you make healthier decisions and reduce your chances of getting a deadly clot. This list of DVT risk factors is a good place to start.

A Hospital Stay, With or Without Surgery

Because you are generally in bed for long periods of time, a hospital stay is a DVT risk factor. Being confined to a bed or wheelchair for long periods of time during a hospital stay, according to the National Blood Clot Alliance, is a leading risk factor for lethal blood clots. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, blood clots in the lungs are responsible for one out of every ten hospital deaths. Furthermore, it is estimated that approximately half of all blood clots form during a hospital stay or within three months following a hospital stay or surgery.

If you're ever in the hospital, talk to your vein specialist about ways to lower your risk of DVT. Wearing elastic compression stockings or employing sequential compression devices are examples of this. These machines function by compressing your muscles to keep blood flowing through your legs. If you ever find yourself in a hospital, the medical personnel will push you to get out of bed and walk as quickly as possible. This is because moving promotes blood flow, which minimizes the risks of a blood clot forming.

Being Overweight and Not Physically Active

Venous thromboembolism rates would plummet if there was no obesity in the world. Obesity and the risk of DVT are linked, according to a study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine in May 2015. Although the exact reasons why being overweight raises the risk of DVT are unknown, there is significant evidence that the risk of DVT rises as a person's weight rises.

Traveling by Train, Plane, or Car

Traveling can be enjoyable. However, if you don't move about enough, all that travel can backfire. The good news is that there are easy things you can do to keep yourself healthy when traveling.

In its Stop the Clot campaign, the National Blood Clot Alliance offers similar advice. When traveling by airline, train, or bus, the group recommended that passengers get up and move around at least once per hour. Try pointing and flexing your toes or creating circles with your feet if you can't get up for whatever reason. This will aid in the circulation of blood in your legs.

Excessive Television Watching

A study published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Thrombolysis in April 2018 found that watching too much television is linked to blood clots. Long periods of sitting can reduce blood flow to the legs and feet, contributing to this elevated risk. People who watched TV frequently were more likely to develop blood clots than those who never or seldom watched TV, according to the study. For persons who met the suggested amount of physical exercise, this association continued. This means that even if you're physically active and try to move while watching your favorite shows, watching too much TV is still a risk factor for blood clots.

Height

According to a study published in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis in July 2017, each 10-centimeter increase in height raised a person's risk of blood clots by 30 to 40%. The participants in this study were people with European heritage. Height was shown to be more significantly linked to DVT than pulmonary embolism in the study. Although the link between blood clots and increased height is new, there are a few theories to consider. Taller people, for example, may have a larger venous surface area and a greater number of venous valves overall.