Pulmonary embolism is the third cause of death following cancer and coronary heart disease in the United States. Nearly 650,000 cases of pulmonary embolism occur every year. About 2/3 of which are missed, and 1/3 of them die without diagnosis and treatment.
Some orthopedic patients had a successful operation, but died suddenly within a few minutes to a few hours after getting out of bed a few days after the operation.
In the past, due to the occlusion of information and some misunderstandings in the medical field, the disease deep vein thrombosis of lower extremities is frequently missed and misdiagnosed.
Thrombus is like a seed, which is planted silently. It just takes root and sprouts in the early stage, and we don't even notice it. When the branches spread, the original blood vessel channels are blocked, and our limbs will swell.
When its fruit matures and falls off, it will bring functional damage or even death.
Different "soils" bred different branches, facing different consequences. Taking deep vein thrombosis for example, where blood flow in the legs is slow, it often occurs in the legs. The thrombus growing in deep veins is more loose, like flowers in a greenhouse, which is very fragile and easy to fall off. The one that falls off will flow to the heart following the blood, and finally enter the lungs, blocking our lung blood vessels. As a result, a large area of lung tissue loses its original function and cannot exchange air with the outside.
Below symptom will occur: chest pain, hemoptysis, dyspnea, and even sudden death.
The blood vessel wall is damaged, blood flowing slowly, and the hypercoagulable state is more suitable for thrombus to take root. And such blood status is frequently seen in below group: bedridden patients, long-term sedentary, pregnant women, and the elderly.
Lower extremity deep vein thrombosis is most common after surgery.
Not only pregnant mothers, long-term oral contraceptives also have the risk of deep vein thrombosis.
Many people have great expectations when they hear the tempting word "thrombolysis". It is believed that venous thrombosis is like the dirt in the drain, which can be washed away early, but the drain will inevitably hide dirt after a long time, and once the thrombus forms a clot, it is difficult to completely dissolve it.
Surgical thrombectomy? Also not very suitable. Because the organized thrombus is tightly adhered to the vein wall, forced thrombus removal that will cause damage to the vein wall and a wider thrombus formation.
Wear compression stockings? Sustained high pressure increases blood flow, but gives a false sense of security and prevents patients from implementing more effective methods. If not worn correctly, compression stockings would be piled up and worsen the restricted blood flow in the lower extremities.
Therefore, early prevention is very important.
For obese and elderly people, pay more attention to diet structure, low-fat intake; avoid spicy, sweet and fat foods, and eat more foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, dietary fiber, and unsaturated fatty acids. For those who have been immobile for an extended period of time, such as those who travel a lot and those who have undergone minor surgery but do not have other risk factors for deep vein thrombosis, you can elevate your legs and do ten ankle stretches every 30 minutes, and go for a walk every 2 hours. Try to avoid pillows under the knees, excessive hip flexion, which may affect venous return.
Besides, we can adopt phical ways (IPC Device) to accelerate the venous blood flow velocity of the lower extremities, prevent the aggregation of coagulation factors and adhesion to the intima of blood vessels, and prevent thrombus formation.
Anticoagulant drugs should be taken if necessary. Such drugs can help reduce the coagulation function of the blood and prevent venous thrombosis, but the specific use should be strictly followed the doctor's advice, and should not be taken casually.