Blood clots, whether they occur in the lungs or veins, fall into the category of "venous thromboembolism" or VTE (venous thromboembolism). Symptoms and effects of blood clots vary widely depending on where they occur in the body. However, all blood clots can have fatal effects if left untreated, including heart attacks and strokes. Finding out about how to prevent blood clots is an important first step for you.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Understanding Risk Factors
Step 1. Be careful if you are elderly
The risk of having a blood clot for the first time (VTE) is 100 in 100,000. However, this risk increases rapidly with age: at 80 years of age, the VTE rate is 500 in 100,000. As you get older, you should monitor your overall health by having regular medical check-ups.
The risk of blood clots increases if you have recently had surgery or have fractured a leg or hip
Step 2. Consider your level of activity
People who lead sedentary or sedentary lifestyles have a high risk of developing pulmonary embolism, or blood clots in the lungs. Those who sat for more than six hours a day in their spare time were twice as likely to suffer from pulmonary embolism as those who sat for less than two hours. Periods of sitting, lying down, or standing in one place for a long time can cause blood flow to stop, which can eventually lead to blood clots. This is one reason why VTE is common in hospitalized patients (especially after surgery) and people who travel long distances.
Step 3. Calculate your body mass index (BMI)
People who fall into the category of obesity have a higher risk of developing VTE than people who have a healthy weight. This correlation is not fully understood, but experts believe it is due to estrogen produced by fat cells. Estrogen is an independent risk factor for causing blood clots. Fat cells also produce proteins called "cytokines", which can play a role in the occurrence of VTE. While this isn't always true, people who are obese often have a sedentary lifestyle compared to people whose weight is in a healthy range.
- Use an online BMI calculator such as the Mayo Clinic website to calculate your BMI. To get the results, you must enter your age, weight, height and gender.
- Obese people are people who have a BMI of 30 or more. Values from 25 to 29.9 are for people who fall into the overweight category. BMI for a normal person is 18.5 to 24.9. And a BMI with a value below 18.5 is considered underweight.
Step 4. Watch your hormone levels
Hormone shifts, particularly those involving estrogen, can put people at risk for VTE. This is common in postmenopausal women who take estrogen supplements as part of hormone replacement therapy. Women who prevent pregnancy by taking hormonal contraceptives and women who are pregnant are also at risk of developing blood clots.
Discuss the risks and options you choose with your doctor before starting hormone therapy
Step 5. Beware of hypercoagulation
Coagulation is another name for clotting, which is a normal process in blood. Without coagulation, you can die from bleeds when you get injured! Although coagulation is normal, hypercoagulation is a condition when excessive blood clots occur, even when blood is still in the body. Hypercoagulation can occur due to prolonged lying or sitting, smoking, dehydration, cancer, and hormone therapy. You are at risk for hypercoagulation if:
- You have a family history of abnormal blood clotting.
- You developed blood clots at a young age.
- You have blood clots when you are pregnant.
- You've had multiple miscarriages for no reason.
- A number of genetic disorders (such as Factor 5 Leiden Disorder or Lupus Anticoagulant) can also cause a person to develop this condition.
Step 6. Learn about other health conditions that can increase your risk of developing blood clots
Atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat) and the build-up of cholesterol plaques in blood vessels can cause blood clots.
- An irregular heartbeat prevents blood from flowing smoothly, then collects somewhere, and begins to clot.
- People with atrial fibrillation can have an irregular heartbeat without any other symptoms. This is usually discovered during a routine check-up. This condition can be treated with blood thinners or other medications, lifestyle changes, and in some cases surgery or a pacemaker.
- Wax-like cholesterol plaques can build up in blood vessels (sometimes a part of atherosclerosis), and if they rupture, they can start the clotting process. Most strokes and heart attacks occur when plaque in the brain or heart ruptures.
Part 2 of 2: Preventing Blood Clots
Step 1. Exercise regularly
Research shows that 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise a week can reduce the risk of a variety of health problems. This means that you should be doing aerobic activity (eg cycling, walking, aerobic exercise, etc.) for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Choose a fun activity so you can keep doing it! Exercise makes blood circulation flow smoothly, prevents VTE, and improves overall health.
Step 2. Elevate your feet periodically throughout the day
This can be done while you are resting or sleeping. Position the lower leg higher than the foot at the calf. So, not knee high. Don't put a pillow under your knees to elevate your legs. Instead, elevate your lower leg about 15 cm above your heart. Don't cross your legs.
Step 3. Divide long sitting times by doing activities
While it's important to exercise every day, it's not enough to just sit all day and walk for 20 minutes. If you have to lie down or sit for long periods of time (such as when traveling, working in front of a computer screen, or resting in bed), you should make time for exercise. Every two hours, get up and do some light activity. You can go for a walk or do a static calf exercise by wiggling your heel and toes back and forth.
Situations where you sit with your knees bent (a typical sitting position) put you at risk for blood clots
Step 4. Don't run out of fluids
Severe dehydration will "thicken" the blood and promote the formation of clots. Everyone, especially the elderly and others who are at high risk, should drink plenty of water. The Institute of Medicine recommends that men drink 13 glasses of fluid (three liters) a day, and women should drink 9 cups (2.2 liters).
- Don't let yourself be thirsty. Thirst is the first and most obvious sign that a person is dehydrated. If you feel thirsty, you are on the verge of dehydration.
- Another early sign is a dry mouth or very dry skin.
- Immediately drink water to restore body fluids. If you experience vomiting or diarrhea, or sweat profusely, you may need an electrolyte solution such as Gatorade to restore fluids.
Step 5. Get regular checkups when pregnant
High estrogen levels put women at a higher risk of developing VTE. However, when you are pregnant you will not be able to control the amount of estrogen your body produces. What you can do is try to avoid other risk factors (such as smoking or sitting for long periods of time) and ensure that your situation is constantly monitored by your doctor.
- If you experience VTE in a limb, your doctor can prescribe medication that is safe for pregnancy so that the clot does not spread to the brain or lungs, which can be fatal.
- Taking blood-thinning drugs during pregnancy poses a risk because it can interfere with the attachment of the placenta.
- However, in high-risk VTE situations, Lovenox can be useful for saving lives. After delivery, the mother should switch to Coumadin, which can be safely used when breastfeeding.
- VTE is the leading cause of infant mortality in the US and Western Europe.
Step 6. Talk to your doctor about hormone replacement therapy (HRT)
HRT treatment (which is done to control menopausal symptoms) can increase the risk of blood clots. Alternative treatment without hormones can be done by trying soy isoflavone treatment such as Estroven, to help with hot flashes (the sensation of heat that occurs in women before menopause), but does not pose a risk of VTE. You can also get soy from various food sources such as soy beans, tofu, or soy milk. However, there is no definite guide to the amount of the dose.
You can also choose to live with menopause symptoms without taking medication. Although uncomfortable, menopause does not have a negative impact on health
Step 7. Take hormonal contraceptives only after getting approval from your doctor
The combination of the estrogen and progestin found in most birth control pills can increase the risk of blood clots three to four times. Even so, the overall risk in healthy women with no other risk factors is still quite low, at about one in 3,000 people who experience VTE.
- Women who have heavy bleeding during menstruation or have an abnormal uterine lining should take non-hormonal drugs, if any. Consider using hormonal contraceptives without estrogen (progesterone only) or even non-hormonal contraceptives such as the IUD.
- Even if you have a history of or risk for blood clots, hormonal contraception can still be used if you are taking anticoagulants. Doctors can also choose hormonal contraceptives with very low estrogen content (or even no estrogen), which can reduce the risk of blood clots.
Step 8. Keep your weight in a healthy range
Since excess fat cells in obese people are associated with a risk of developing VTE, try to lose weight to a healthy range if you are obese (BMI score of 30 or more). The healthiest way to lose weight is to combine exercise with a healthy diet. While you should limit your calorie intake, most nutritionists won't allow you to eat less than 1200 calories a day. The number can be higher if you are active in sports. Consult a nutritionist to get the number of calories that are right for you.
- Wear a heart rate monitor when exercising to track your heart rate.
- To calculate your target heart rate, first calculate your maximum heart rate, which is 220 minus your age.
- Multiply the number you get by 0.6 to get the heart rate you should be aiming for, and try to maintain that heart rate for at least 20 minutes when exercising at least 4 times a week.
- For example, for a woman who is 50 years old, the target heart rate would be (220-50) x 0.6 = 102.
Step 9. Put on compression stockings or socks
Compression stockings are also known as TET (thromboembolism-deterrent) stockings. People who always walk for hours, for example waiters or doctors and nurses, often wear these stockings to improve blood circulation. It can also be worn after you have a blood clot to relieve pain and swelling. Sometimes these stockings are also used on patients in hospitals who can only spend time in bed.
Compression stockings can be purchased at pharmacies and drug stores. This device is attached to the knee to improve blood circulation
Step 10. Talk to your doctor about preventive medicine
If your doctor thinks you are at high risk for VTE, he or she will give you preventive medicine. Depending on your condition, your doctor may prescribe prescription drugs (such as Lovenox or Coumadin) or non-prescription drugs (such as aspirin).
- Coumadin is a prescription drug that is usually taken at a dose of 5 mg once a day. However, in different people, this drug can cause different interactions with vitamin K, so it can be harmful to normal blood clotting. Therefore, the dosage can be different for each individual.
- Lovenox is a prescription drug in the form of an injection that you can inject yourself at home. You will be given a filled syringe that must be injected twice a day. The dose depends on body weight.
- Aspirin is an over-the-counter drug that is great for low-risk patients. This drug is proven to prevent the occurrence of thrombosis due to blood clots that lead to heart attacks and strokes.
Step 11. Ask for special medication if you have cancer
One in five malignant cancer patients experience VTE. This occurs for a variety of reasons, including inflammation associated with cancer, lack of movement, or as a side effect of medications. Cancer patients with VTE should be given Lovenox or Coumadin and may have an IVC (inferior vena cava) filter inserted. The IVC filter acts like a filter when a venous clot breaks off in the leg. This device prevents blood clots from reaching the lungs or heart, which can be fatal.
Step 12. Take natural remedies as a trial measure
Although there is anecdotal literature on natural therapies used to reduce the risk of blood clots in cancer patients, there is no scientific support for this. There is debate whether phytonutrients can prevent VTE in cancer patients or not. However, the mechanism by which this diet can inhibit cytokine production and prevent inflammation is not yet known, as has been argued. Some of the foods recommended in this diet include:
- Fruits: Apricots, blackberries, oranges, tomatoes, plums, pineapples, and blueberries.
- Spices: Curry, paprika, chili, thyme, ginger, turmeric, ginkgo, and licorice.
- Vitamins: Vitamin E (almonds and walnuts, lentils, oats and wheat), and Omega 3 fatty acids (fatty fish such as trout or salmon).
- Sources from plants: sunflower seed, safflower oil, and canola oil.
- Supplements: Ginko biloba, garlic, vitamin C, and nattokinase supplements.
- Honey and wine.
Warning
- If you have swelling, pain or tenderness, a bluish or reddish discoloration of your skin, or a feeling of warmth in one leg, you may have Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and see a doctor as soon as possible.
- If you experience shortness of breath, dizziness or fainting, sharp pain in your chest, fast heart rate or coughing up mucus containing blood for no apparent reason, you may have Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and need to go to the hospital immediately or call emergency services. There is a possibility that this is a blood clot that occurs in the lungs and requires immediate medical attention.
