Causes of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
There are a variety of risk factors that contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis:
- Surgery, particularly surgery of the hip or leg, or abdominal surgery
- Trauma or bone fracture
- A long period of bed rest or sitting for a long time (e.g., on an airplane or in a car)
- Cancer
- Pregnancy
- Birth control pills or hormones taken for symptoms of menopause
- Varicose veins
Risk factors for deep vein thrombosis
A risk factor is anything that may increase a person's chance of developing a disease. It may be an activity, diet, family history, or many other things.
Although these risk factors increase a person's risk, they do not necessarily cause the disease. Some people with one or more risk factors never develop the disease, while others develop disease and have no known risk factors. Knowing your risk factors to any disease can help to guide you into the appropriate actions, including changing behaviors and being clinically monitored for the disease.
Risk factors related to or that may contribute to deep vein thrombosis and thrombophlebitis include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Obesity
- An inherited tendency that increases risk for blood clots
- Age (greater than 60)
- Type A blood group
Who is at risk to develop chronic DVT?
- Cancer patients
- Patients taking hormonal contraceptives (birth control pills)
- Patients who are pregnant
- Patients who have undergone recent surgery
- Patients who are immobilized
- Patiens with a family history of blood clots
