Deep Vein Thrombosis / DVT

Rachelk27 Sep, 2022Health

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that forms in a deep vein. The deep veins in the legs help carry blood from the legs back to the heart. When leg muscles contract and relax, blood is squeezed up the veins toward the heart. One-way valves located along the walls of the veins help keep blood moving upward in the right direction. They open to allow blood through, and then close so that blood doesn?t leak backward. When blood moves too slowly or not at all, it can pool in the veins. This makes a clot more likely to form. This is a serious condition, that if not treated, could cause life-threatening consequences, such as a pulmonary embolism. If a piece of the clot breaks off, it could travel to your lungs, and make breathing difficult, or even cause death.