Don’t let blood clots “block” you! Correctly understand blood clots and stay away from the “silent killer”

October 13, 2024 is the 11th "World Thrombosis Day", which aims to raise public awareness of thrombotic diseases and further reduce the occurrence and harm of venous thrombosis through education and awareness raising. Today, experts from the Department of Cardiology of Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine will talk to you about health knowledge related to thrombosis.

1. What is thrombosis?

Thrombosis, commonly known as "blood clot", blocks the blood vessels in various parts of the body like a plug, resulting in a lack of blood supply to related organs and the emergence of different symptoms.

If the lower limb artery is embolic, symptoms such as lower limb coldness, pain, numbness, and paresthesia may occur, and severe cases may lead to limb necrosis.

Coronary artery embolism may cause angina pectoris or myocardial infarction;

Renal artery or mesenteric artery embolism may cause symptoms such as low back pain, hematuria, abdominal pain, and bloody stools;

Cerebral vascular embolism can cause dizziness, headache, numbness, hemiplegia, and even be fatal.

Blood clots can occur in veins or arteries. When they occur in veins, it is called venous thromboembolism (VTE). VTE includes pulmonary embolism (PE) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

VTE is the third largest cardiovascular disease in the world after ischemic heart disease and stroke. It is known as the "silent killer" due to its high incidence, hidden symptoms and high mortality rate. Timely identification and prevention of VTE are crucial to reduce its harm.

How are blood clots formed?

1. Vascular damage

Vascular damage is an important cause of thrombosis, such as surgery, trauma, burns, etc. These factors can damage vascular endothelial cells, causing platelets and fibrin to aggregate at the damaged site to form thrombi.

2. Increased blood coagulation

Increased blood coagulability means that the blood is prone to forming blood clots. For example, factors such as an increase in the number of platelets and an increase in the fibrinogen content in the blood can lead to increased blood coagulability.

3. Slow blood flow

Bad living habits such as long-term sitting and bed rest may lead to slow blood flow, thus providing conditions for thrombosis. For example, patients who take long flights or cars or stay in bed for a long time are prone to deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs.

How to prevent blood clots

Venous thrombosis is a preventable and treatable disease. Active and effective prevention can significantly reduce its incidence.

1. Regular activities

The World Health Organization reminds that if you do not exercise for 4 consecutive hours, you will increase the risk of venous thrombosis. Therefore, to stay away from venous thrombosis, exercise is an effective prevention and control measure.

Therefore, no matter how busy you are every day, you should not stand or sit for a long time. It is best to get up and walk every hour or two, stretch your lower back, or do leg exercises, such as ankle pump exercises, including toe flexion, dorsiflexion, circumference, and knee flexion and extension, and try to maintain the maximum range. Do this 3-5 times a day, 3-5 minutes each time.

2. Eat a healthy diet

Eat a light diet and eat more low-fat, high-fiber foods, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, deep-sea fish, beans, whole wheat flour, etc., and reduce the intake of animal offal and fats.

3. Replenish water in time

Drinking water helps dilute the blood and reduce blood viscosity. A normal person should drink 2000 ml to 2500 ml of water every day. If you drink too little, waste in the body cannot be metabolized. Drinking too much will increase the burden on the heart and kidneys.

4. Quit smoking

Nicotine can damage the endothelium of blood vessels, causing lipids and inflammatory cells to accumulate in the blood vessels, thus forming mural thrombi. Smokers are advised to quit smoking as soon as possible, and non-smokers should stay away from secondhand smoke.

5. Mechanical prevention

The use of various auxiliary devices and instruments (such as elastic stockings, intermittent pneumatic compression devices, plantar venous pumps) can increase blood flow rate through external pressure, promote venous return in the lower limbs, and reduce the occurrence of venous thrombosis. This should be done under the guidance of a doctor.

6. Rational use of drugs

Patients whose blood is in a hypercoagulable state should use anticoagulants preventively under the guidance of a doctor. During use, they should pay attention to observe for adverse reactions such as bleeding and conduct regular check-ups.

7. Regular physical examinations

High-risk groups should go to the hospital regularly for examinations of thrombin time, prothrombin time, and thrombin time. If there are signs of embolism, see a doctor immediately, the sooner the better.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Xie Dejuan, Department of Cardiology, Hunan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by YH)