Washington, D.C., March 11, 2004— The American Public Health Association is joining this month in a national effort to raise awareness among health professionals and consumers about deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), a life-threatening but preventable medical condition.
Deep-vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the large veins, usually in the lower limbs, partially or completely blocking circulation. Pulmonary embolism, a serious complication from DVT, can occur when a fragment of a blood clot migrates to the lungs, where it blocks a pulmonary artery. Pulmonary embolism may be responsible for as many as 200,000 deaths annually in the United States.
“Deep-vein thrombosis is an important public health problem,” said Georges C. Benjamin, MD, FACP, executive director of the American Public Health Association. “Yet surprisingly, nearly three-quarters of Americans are unaware of DVT. And of those who are aware, more than half are unable to identify common risk factors or pre-existing conditions that can lead to the development of this condition.”
DVT may be caused by a variety of risk factors and triggering events, including increasing age, obesity or restricted mobility due to acute medical illness, stroke, major surgery or prolonged travel in cramped spaces. Symptoms of DVT include pain, swelling, tenderness, discoloration of the affected area and skin that is warm to the touch.
“DVT is preventable,” said Benjamin. “We can reduce the risks of its serious and life-threatening complications if we raise education and awareness among the public. Individuals should understand the potential for getting DVT and how to lower their risk. Physicians and other health care professionals also must routinely assess a person's risk for the disease especially in hospitalized patients.”