Preventing Blood Clots: Your Daily Guide
Medical-Surgical · Cardiovascular
A DVT is a blood clot in a deep vein, usually in the leg. If a piece breaks off and travels to your lungs (pulmonary embolism), it is an emergency. These steps help stop clots from forming.
Know your risk
- Surgery, bed rest, or sitting for a long time
- Trips longer than 4 hours
- Birth control pills, hormone pills, pregnancy, or a recent birth
- Cancer, a past blood clot, extra weight, or smoking
Keep your legs moving
- Walk as soon and as often as your care team allows.
- Every hour while awake, point and flex your feet and circle your ankles.
- Do not cross your legs. Do not sit for a long time.
Use your clot-prevention plan
- Wear compression stockings or leg pumps as prescribed. Keep stockings smooth, with no rolled tops.
- Take your blood thinner exactly as prescribed, until the end date.
- Drink plenty of fluids, unless you have a fluid limit.
On long trips
- Every 1 to 2 hours, get up and walk, or stop the car and stretch.
- Move your feet and ankles while you sit. Drink water. Limit alcohol.
If your leg hurts
- Do not rub or massage a swollen, painful leg. Rubbing risks moving a clot to your lungs.
- Call your provider the same day.
Call your provider today if you have
- Swelling in one leg
- A warm, red, or sore spot on one calf or thigh
- Leg pain or cramping that does not go away
- Bleeding gums or new bruises while on a blood thinner
Call 911 or your local emergency number if you have
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Chest pain, mainly when you breathe in deeply
- Coughing up blood
- A racing heartbeat with dizziness or fainting