4 early signs of a blood clot – risk of sudden death if ignored

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You may have had some symptoms for months or years, but you just haven't noticed them yet.

Blood clots can be a potentially life-threatening ordeal. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is especially dangerous.

Sudden death occurs in 25% of patients with DVT due to the spread of the clot to the lungs. But a deeper understanding of DVT and its early signs can help prevent this fate. DVT is when you have a blood clot that forms in one of the veins deep inside your body. Blood clotting is a natural process that prevents excessive bleeding, but when they occur in certain areas of your body, they are not removed naturally.

DVT usually occurs in the thighs or lower legs, but can develop elsewhere. This can quickly become fatal if the blood clot breaks away from its location and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs – this is known as a pulmonary embolism.

There are a number of “common and early symptoms of thrombosis that can lead to DVT.”

These symptoms include:

• Swelling of the affected area
• Leg pain
• Red, bluish or pale skin around the affected leg
• Throbbing or cramping pain

These symptoms can be difficult to detect, and many who have had DVT in the past report having no symptoms at all.

“Up to 30 percent of people with DVT have no symptoms, but sometimes the symptoms are very mild and may not be cause for concern.”