world thrombosis day: 'a blood clot can be scary'

eighteen hours after sahar monzavi-bacon collapsed at her home, she woke up in intensive care where she was eventually diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. monzavi-bacon, who at the time was recovering from hip surgery, credits her husband for saving her life — he immediately called 911 and provided first aid while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.deep vein thrombosis (dvt) is the medical term for the formation of a blood clot in the leg. it affects roughly 45,000 canadians and is responsible for one in four deaths in the country each year, according to a report by thrombosis canada. it can lead to several other life-threatening conditions, including heart attack, stroke or pulmonary embolism, which occurs when a blood clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs through the bloodstream.thrombosis can cause pain, tenderness, redness, and a feeling of warmth in the leg, and usually, unexplained shortness of breath, rapid breathing, dizziness or feeling faint are the telltale signs of a blood clot that’s lodged in the lungs.dr. deborah siegal, hematologist at the ottawa hospital, associate professor in the department of medicine, at the university of ottawa, and associate scientist in the clinical epidemiology program, at the ottawa hospital research institute says that there are several known risk factors that increase the chances of the disease, such as recent surgery, active cancer, hospitalization, immobility, hormone use — like oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy — as well as pregnancy and postpartum.although prolonged travel is commonly recognized by patients as a risk factor, siegal says that it’s a milder risk factor compared to others such as surgery or cancer. for about 50 per cent of patients, particularly those who experience dvt for the first time, there is no obvious trigger and the cause is “unprovoked” or unknown. the condition, which can be confirmed with an ultrasound, requires treatment that can last anywhere between three to six months after which some individuals may remain on long-term anticoagulants due to a high risk of recurrence.anticoagulants or “blood thinners” work by interfering with blood clotting — the body dissolves the blood clot over time, and anticoagulants prevent the blood clot from extending, embolizing, or recurring. while bleeding remains the main side effect of dvt therapy, newer direct oral anticoagulants may help to reduce the risk of major and fatal bleeding. siegal says that new research is underway to evaluate ways to enhance risk prediction and diagnostics and reduce the harms of bleeding through anticoagulant reversal strategies.researchers are also working with patients and caregivers to better understand patient values and preferences with respect to treatment, and prioritizing evaluating the incidence of — and risk factors for— long-term complications such as the rare, but progressive, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (cteph), post-thrombotic syndrome (pts) and anxiety, all of which can cause substantial morbidity among individuals who have experienced the disease, according to siegal.luckily, complications of dvt can be successfully managed and prevented with prompt diagnosis and rapid treatment. but knowing what to look for is key.“a significant challenge for people experiencing acute thrombosis is recognizing the signs of the disease and when to seek medical attention,” says david airdrie, executive director at thrombosis canada. “individuals who experience symptoms of deep vein thrombosis, like leg swelling or leg tenderness, usually in one leg, often delay seeing a healthcare professional, believing it to be muscle pain. it can lead to blood clots in the lungs, or a pulmonary embolism that can be fatal.”thrombosis canada is sounding the alarm on this gap in knowledge and raising awareness about the disease through its national clots campaign and world thrombosis day activities on october 13. its recent report revealed that 79 per cent of canadians don’t know what a blood clot in the leg may feel like, and less than half of those surveyed are aware of the disease.airdrie suggests that increased awareness can help ensure that patients seek medical assistance quickly and that healthcare professionals take immediate action with patients who show signs and symptoms of thrombosis. he also says that additional financial support from donors would amplify reach through educational resources for patients and healthcare professionals.it’s been two years since her diagnosis, and monzavi-bacon says that life has returned to normal. she continues to manage dvt with daily medication, and works full-time as the program lead for guidance, cooperative education and physical education at a secondary school in milton, ontario. at st. joseph’s healthcare hamilton, she is the vice-chair of its patient and family advisory council, working with hospital staff to support and co-develop a patient-centred approach to care.just days prior to being rushed to hospital, she experienced a shortness of breath, but she attributed it to post-op recovery and believed that it would soon resolve itself. now she wants others to learn from her story.“i want people to know that although a blood clot can be very scary, life can return to normal with the proper care,” says monzavi-bacon. “i am a big promoter of learning the signs and symptoms. i am hopeful that spreading awareness on this topic will help others avoid similar traumatic experiences in the future.”for more resources and support, connect with thrombosis canada, national bllod clot alliance, or the north american thrombosis forum.