Right now, people may be weighing a decision to visit a healthcare provider. However, symptoms like swelling, pain, tenderness or redness in the leg, thigh or pelvis, can possibly be related to a potentially serious condition such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT).1 It’s critical to not brush off these symptoms.

More About DVT

DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg, thigh, or pelvis and can also occur in the arm. A DVT clot, or part of it can travel through the bloodstream to the lungs, leading to a pulmonary embolism (PE).1,2 PE may cause difficulty breathing, chest pain or discomfort, rapid heartbeat, coughing up blood or low blood pressure – and can be deadly.1,3 Symptoms related to DVT/PE can be representative of many conditions. Only a healthcare provider can determine whether these symptoms indicate DVT or another condition.

“It’s understandable why patients may feel compelled to avoid visiting hospitals and healthcare facilities right now. But it’s integral for them to know that not addressing symptoms may have serious consequences,” said Jenice Baker, M.D., associate emergency medicine director in Camden, NJ. "For people with symptoms that may be associated with deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, talking to a doctor is imperative.”

Since around 50 percent of people who have DVT may not experience symptoms, it’s also important to know the risk factors of DVT, which can include: fractures, severe muscle injury, major surgery, immobility/limited movement, paralysis, birth control pills, hormone replacement therapy, pregnancy for up to 3 months after giving birth, heart disease, lung disease, cancer and its treatment, inflammatory bowel disease, inherited clotting disorders, age (risk increases as age increases), obesity, family history of DVT/PE, and previous DVT/PE.1

According to CDC data from 2010, approximately 900,000 Americans can be affected by DVT/PE each year, so it is important for people to pay attention to symptoms that could be due to of DVT/PE and talk to a healthcare provider to learn more.4

No Time to Wait

The Bristol Myers Squibb–Pfizer Alliance recently launched the No Time to Wait campaign in part to raise awareness of the symptoms of DVT/PE. Seeking medical attention early may help reduce the chance of DVT or PE becoming more serious.

The Alliance encourages people to visit www.NoTimetoWait.com/dvt-pe-explained, where they can find additional information about DVT or PE and hopes to prompt those experiencing symptoms to reach out to a healthcare provider by phone, online, or in person.

References:

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). What is Venous Thromboembolism? https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/facts.html. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  2. American Heart Association. What is Venous Thromboembolism (VTE)? https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/venous-thromboembolism/what-is-venous-thromboembolism-vte. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  3. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Pulmonary Embolism. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/pulmonary-embolism. Accessed November 9, 2020.
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Data and Statistics on Venous Thromboembolism. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dvt/data.html. Accessed November 9, 2020.