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Deep venous thrombosis - Symptom

Alternative Names

DVT; Blood clot in the legs; Thromboembolism

Symptoms:

Changes in skin color (redness) in one leg
Increased warmth in one leg
Leg pain in one leg
Leg tenderness in one leg
Swelling (edema) of one leg

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will perform a physical exam. The exam may show a red, swollen, or tender leg.

The following tests may be done:

Doppler ultrasound exam of a limb
D-dimer blood test
Plethysmography of the legs
X-rays to show veins in the legs (leg venography)

Blood tests may be done to check if there is increased blood clotting. Such tests include:

Activated protein C resistance (checks for the Factor V Leiden mutation)
Antithrombin III levels
Genetic testing to look for mutations that make you more likely to develop blood clots, including the prothrombin G20210A mutation
Lupus anticoagulant or anti-phospholipid antibodies
Protein C and Protein S levels
Screening for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

This list is not all-inclusive.

Deep venous thrombosis, ileofemoral

Deep veins

Venous blood clot

Deep veins

Venous thrombosis - series

Reviewed last on: 1/27/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Brotman DJ, Jaffer AK. Prevention of venous thromboembolism in the geriatric patient.Cardiol Clin. 2008;26(2):221-34, vi.

Ginsburg J. Peripheral venous disease. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 81.

Snow V, Qaseem A, Barry P, et al. Management of venous thromboembolism: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians and the American Academy of Family Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2007;146(3):204-10. Epub 2007 Jan 29.

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