March is DVT Awareness Month
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Pulmonary Embolism
Why am I blogging on DVD and Pulmonary Embolism?
Not only is March DVT Awareness Month, it is also a medical condition which is personal to me due to my own frightening experiences with DVTs and pumonary embolism. I've experienced it at least three times in a two year period. The first time it almost killed me as it made its way to my lungs. The doctors thought it was asthma, however, breathing treatments did me NO good! Finally I was diagnosed, but it almost killed me waiting. The doctors then stated I had peripheral pulmonary embolism which adds up to multiple blood clots in both lungs.
During my last hospitalization with blood clots, the doctor placed a Greenfield Vena Cava Filter. I call it my little umbrella. Check out the picture. It's a cool little device and it is saving my life. In addition, I will be taking 1 mg of Coumadin/Warfarin once a day the rest of my life to keep my blood flowing through the filter so that it does not clog.
Statistics
* Did you know complications from DVT blood clots kill up to 200,000 people in the U.S. each year?
* According to the American Heart Association, DVT occurs in about 2 million Americans every year.
* More people suffer from DVT annually than heart attack and stroke.
* Up to 600,000 patients are hospitalized each year for DVT.
* Pulmonary embolism causes more deaths annually in the United States than breast cancer, AIDS and highway fatalities (combined).
* Fatal PE may be the most common preventable cause of hospital death in the United States.
* Only one-third of hospitalized patients with risk factors for blood clots received preventive treatment, according to a U.S. multicenter study.
* Without preventive treatment, up to 60 percent of patients who undergo total hip replacement surgery may develop DVT.
* Cancer patients undergoing surgical procedures have at least twice the risk of postoperative DVT and more than three times the risk of fatal PE than non-cancer patients undergoing similar procedures.
* In the elderly, DVT is associated with a 21 percent one-year mortality rate, and PE is associated with a 39 percent one-year mortality rate.
* PE is the leading cause of maternal death associated with childbirth. A woman's risk of developing Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) is six times greater when she is pregnant.
What is DVT?
Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot which can form in your legs and sometimes move to your lungs, where it could be fatal. In fact, complications from DVT blood clots contribute to more deaths each year than AIDS and breast cancer combined. And cancer and certain heart or respiratory diseases increase the risk. But the good news is, in most cases, DVT blood clots can be prevented.
For more information on symptoms of DVT please click here.
DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) Awareness Month by Marie B. Walker, Editor of Clot Care
Below you will find information on some activities going on in support of deep vein thrombosis awareness. If you are hosting or know of a DVT Awareness activity that is not listed, please email the Webmaster at Clot Care using this email link to let them know so they can add it.
Tell a Friend About DVT
You can help spread awareness of deep vein thrombosis by sending an email to your friends, family, and colleagues. Clot Care has created an email form to help you spread the word. Click here to complete the email form to start spreading the word about deep vein thrombosis.
Post DVT Awareness Month Fliers
Please help spread awareness by posting fliers about Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Awareness Month on your blogs, websites, and in your communities. Please only post these fliers in places where you have permission or authority to do so. The flier includes important facts about DVT and Clot Care's Web address so that interested individuals know where to get more information. Click here to download the flier. Note that the flier is a pdf document. If you have any trouble with the download, please let the Webmaster at Clot Care know by using the email link here.
Please click here for Deep Vein Thrombosis Helpful Links.
The Vitamin K Registry lists foods and beverages which are high in Vitamin K. For anyone on anticoagulants such as Coumadin or Warfarin, this list is invaluable!
7 comments:
I must confess, I've never even heard of DVT before now. Thanks for the in-depth information!
It is definitely a serious condition and can be fatal. Thanks for stopping by. I LOVE your blog and have it linked! ~ Gma
Wow, had no idea, thats what I love about your blog, informing people of things they ought to know. I think what you are doing is a great thing; keep it up.
Lots of Love,
Heather
PS thanks for linking me, I've linked you ;)
Stopped by to say hi after reading your post at Dr. Anonymous. I really want to tell you welcome to blog land. It is especially terrific that you are joining us "older" bloggers that have discovered this wonderful internet world :)
We have been married 26 years and feel like antiques around all the 1-2 year marrieds.
Welcome!
Thank you overwhelmed, Heather, and Doc A for your really nice comments. I sure appreciate your visit and comments! Please come back.
I was happy to see your comment on DVT. I have been working for years to raise awareness and save lives. Thanks also for your efforts in this! I would encourage you all to log on to www.nwclotbusters.org and see that it affects all ages and it is important for ourselves and our parents and our children to become more aware.
God bless,
Cheryl
Deep vein thrombosis or DVT is a blood clot that can form in the legs and sometimes move to your lungs, where it could be fatal.
veins
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