Treatments For Deep Vein Thrombosis

Regular Doctor Visits

If a patient is diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis, it is critical to maintaining regular doctor visits. If they are prescribed medication, there may be a need to get routine blood tests to make sure the medication is at the appropriate levels. One of the most common medications for DVT is warfarin, though new medications have come on the market that do not necessitate getting blood tests or changing the dosage. Visits with the doctor will allow patients to express any complications they may be experiencing and get their questions answered. It will allow them to head off any issues they have and let the doctor alter the treatment plan if the current one does not seem like it is working effectively. By seeing the doctor on a regular basis, patients can keep up to date on new treatments and alternative treatments. If the blood clot does not dissolve or becomes larger, the doctor may need to be more aggressive with treatment. But, if patients do not go to see them regularly, the blockage may go untreated and end up in an emergency.

Clot-Busting Medication

Clot-busting medication must be administered directly to the blood clot. This is achieved by going to the hospital and having a catheter inserted into the vein. The doctor will fish the catheter into DVT and send the drug directly into it, thus breaking up the clot. Additionally, the doctor can widen the vein using a stent or balloon angioplasty to help prevent clots in the future. This measure is sometimes risky, as it could cause part of the clot to break away and travel to another area of the body or it could cause bleeding problems. However, if a patient has a large blood clot, using the clot breaking procedure might be what is best because the benefits outweigh the risks. Furthermore, doctors can insert a filter that will prevent pieces of the clot from traveling to other parts of the body and causing damage that will necessitate other medical procedures to save the patient's life.