Preventing and Treating Venous Thromboembolism

Understanding Blood Clots: What is VTE?

VTE stands for Venous Thromboembolism. It's a medical term for a serious issue: blood clots that form in your veins. These clots can be very dangerous if they break free and travel to other parts of your body.

VTE includes two main types of blood clots:

• Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): This is a clot that forms deep inside a vein, usually in your leg, arm, or pelvis.
• Pulmonary Embolism (PE): This is a life-threatening condition. It happens when a DVT clot breaks off, travels through your body, and gets stuck in an artery in your lungs.

Every year, about 900,000 Americans are affected by VTE, and as many as 100,000 people die from these clots. The scariest part is that these clots can be hard to spot. That's why it's so important to know the signs and talk to a doctor about your risks.

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Center of Excellence

MyMichigan Medical Center Midland was recently recognized by the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) as the first hospital in the United States to be designated a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Center of Excellence™.

Read More

What can Cause a VTE?

Certain things can increase your risk of getting a VTE. Here are some of the most common causes:

• Not moving for a long time, like during a long plane ride or after surgery.
• Health issues like cancer, heart disease, or high blood pressure.
• Obesity or being a smoker.
• Pregnancy or recent childbirth.
• Taking certain types of birth control pills.
• A personal or family history of blood clots.

What is a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)?

A DVT is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein, most often in your leg. It can cause pain and swelling. The biggest danger is that the clot could break off and cause a PE.

Signs to Look For:

• Pain or cramps in your leg
• Swelling
• Your skin might look red or blue
• The affected area might feel warm to the touch

How We Treat DVT's

A vascular surgeon or interventional radiologist has a few ways to treat DVTs, depending on how big the clot is and where it is located.

• Medications: Often, the first step is to use blood thinners. These medicines help break up the clot and keep new ones from forming. This also lowers the risk of the clot traveling to your lungs.
• "Clot-Busting" Treatments: For more serious cases, doctors can use stronger medications to dissolve the clot. This is referred to as thrombolytic therapy and is administered through an IV line or catheter into the vein.
• Mechanical Thrombectomy Procedure: Sometimes, a vascular surgeon or interventional radiologist may perform a minimally-invasive procedure using a thin tube called a catheter and specialized instruments to go into the vein and either break up the clot or physically remove it. The purpose of a mechanical thrombectomy procedure is to restore blood flow to areas blocked by the clot.

What is a Pulmonary Embolism (PE)?

A PE occurs when a blood clot travels from another part of your body (often the legs) and lodges in an artery in your lungs. This blockage obstructs blood flow, increasing pressure on the right side of your heart and significantly reducing oxygen levels in your body. Even after initial treatment, any remaining clot fragments within the pulmonary arteries can increase the risk of serious complications, including heart failure, pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure in the lungs), decreased quality of life, and even death.

Signs to Look For:

• Feeling very short of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Chest pain
• A fast or irregular heartbeat
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed

How Are PEs Treated?

Treatment for PEs is all about removing the clot to get blood flowing again and preventing new ones.

• Medications: Just like with DVTs, blood thinners are the main treatment.
• IVC Filter: If blood thinners aren't an option, a doctor can place a small filter in a large vein to catch any clots before they reach the lungs.
• Minimally Invasive Procedures: Doctors can also use special tools to go directly into the arteries in the lungs and remove or break up the clot. These procedures may involve physically removing the clot or using specialized instruments to break the clot up.