See your doctor

If you answer yes to several of these questions, you may be at risk for DVT. Please consult with your healthcare provider as soon as possible for further evaluation.

Resources for Patients

Because deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is often under-diagnosed and therefore under-treated, it is important for people to be aware of risk factors and symptoms that may signal the presence of this condition. Some questions to ask yourself and your healthcare provider are listed below.

Are You at Risk for DVT?
Consider the following if you experience unusual pain and/or tenderness in a leg or arm or unusual swelling that is not easily explained or resolved.

• Is your skin in the affected area unusually warm to the touch?
• Have you noticed significant redness of the affected limb?
• Do you have parents or siblings with histories of blood clots or blood clotting disorders?
• Are you older than 40 years old?
• Have you undergone major surgery, serious trauma, or injury within the last month or suffered from a serious infection? (e.g., joint replacements, broken or fractured bones, car accident, fall, spinal cord injury, sepsis, etc.)

• Have you recently been confined to bed rest for longer than three days?
• Have you been inactive for other reasons (e.g., lengthy air or car travel, plaster cast for broken or fractured limb?)
• Do you smoke?
• Are you typically sedentary?
• Are you overweight or obese?
• If you are female, do you use oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy?  Are you pregnant or have you had a baby within the last month?
• Are you currently undergoing cancer treatment?
• Do you have an in-dwelling catheter or implanted pacemaker or ICD?
• Do you suffer from varicose veins, congestive heart failure, cancer, lung disease?
• Have you had a stroke?