• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Deep venous thrombosis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Deep venous thrombosis is a condition in which a blood clot forms in a vein that is deep inside the body.

Alternative Names:

DVT; Blood clot in the legs

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) mainly affects the veins in the lower leg and thigh. A clot ( thrombus ) forms in the larger veins of the area. This clot can interfere with blood flow, and it may break off and travel through the bloodstream (embolize). The traveling blood clot ( embolus ) can lodge in the brain, lungs, heart, or other area, severely damaging that organ.

Risks for DVT include prolonged sitting (such as on long plane or car trips) or bedrest. It also may be caused by recent surgery (especially hip, knee, or female reproductive organ surgery), fractures , childbirth within the last 6 months, and the use of medications such as estrogen and birth control pills.

Risks also include overproduction of red blood cells in bone marrow ( polycythemia vera ), cancerous (malignant) tumor , and having a condition in which the blood is more likely to clot (hypercoagulability).

Deep venous thrombosis is most common in adults over age 60, but it can occur in any age group.

• Review Date: 4/27/2007
• Reviewed By: Rita Nanda, M.D., Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology/Oncology, University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.