Wednesday, 30 October 2013

The web- best source for causes, symptoms and treatments of blood clots and other conditions



In the fast pace of today’s life, healthcare is neglected most often. We follow a strict regime of unhealthy diet, and stressful work schedule that has been responsible for our deteriorating state of health. Ignorance, poor diet, lack of exercise are also the reason for sudden deaths and why more and more people are suffering from health related problems. To ensure that your body is free from various forms of disorders and illnesses, it is important that you lead a healthy lifestyle. By taking care of your health, you can live a life without suffering from any aches, pain, or discomfort. In every sphere of your life, you will be able to perform to the best of your ability. To seek any information on heath or any other matter, the web is the best source. From blood clot symptoms to treatment, there are many websites that are excellent and popular sources, rich with detailed and accurate information.
 
When we talk about diseases and health conditions, one of the most commonly heard term is of Pulmonary Embolism. It is a serious condition that affects thousands and due to ignorance among people, it has led to fatal results. A Pulmonary Embolism is a serious potentially life threatening condition that can cause symptoms such as chest pain or breathlessness but may have no symptoms and be hard to detect. A massive pulmonary embolism can cause collapse and death. PE usually happens due to an underlying blood clot in the leg. This condition is called deep vein thrombosis Pulmonary Embolism is usually associated with it.

There are many Pulmonary Embolism Risk Factors and prompt treatment is important, which can be live-saving. Pregnancy, various medical conditions and drugs, immobility and major surgery all increase the risk of a PE and if symptoms remain persistent can lead to death and disabilities. Pulmonary embolism can occur in otherwise healthy people. Common signs and symptoms include sudden and unexplained shortness of breath, chest pain and a cough that may bring up blood-tinged sputum.

Blockage in one or more arteries in your lungs is how medical professions define Pulmonary Embolism. Due to lack of awareness and knowledge, the condition has claimed the lives of many. What is important to know that immediate treatment with anti-clotting medications can greatly reduce the risk of death. Taking measures to prevent blood clots in your legs also can help protect you against pulmonary embolism.

Being educated regarding the treatment, symptoms, causes and risk factors of such life threatening conditions is a great way to ensure wellbeing and health. The web is an excellent platform through which one can gain access to unlimited information on any subject pertaining to healthcare. Being aware on such important matters has become a necessity amidst the growing number of illnesses and disorders

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

An overview of Deep Vein Thrombosis Pulmonary Embolism



We can define pulmonary embolism as a blockage in either one or more arteries leading to or in the lungs caused due to embolus, or a clot. In almost each case, clot originates in deep vein inside the pelvis, arms, or legs, breaks loose, and then travels to lungs. Depending on the size, blood clot obstructs either a small or large pulmonary artery and then blocks the blood flow through that vessel.

Risk Factors for Deep Vein Thrombosis PulmonaryEmbolism

 

A lot of Pulmonary Embolism Risk Factors are there. People having more than a single risk factor simultaneously are at even bigger risk. Immobility (for example, following surgery or an injury) and blood clot disorders (called hypercoagulable or thrombophilia state) are main risk factors. Most common kind of genetic thrombophilia is the factor V Leiden that also increases the risks for pregnancy complication.
Other factors which increase the risks for DVT include:

·         Cancer and its treatment
·         Pregnancy and postpartum period
·         Obesity/overweight
·         Hormone therapy (for example birth control pills)
·         Varicose veins
·         Sitting for long period of time (e.g., on a plane, in the car)

DVT Pulmonary Embolism Symptoms and Signs

Symptoms of DVT differ, depending on the severity and location of blood clot. In almost 50% of the patients who have this condition, DVT tends to be asymptomatic (i.e., doesn’t cause symptoms). In a few cases, the patients aren’t aware that they’ve DVT until blood clot travels onto the lung and then causes pulmonary embolism.

Symptoms of DVT include the following:

·         Pain or tenderness
·         Swelling (edema)
·         Warmth
·         Redness or discoloration

A few patients having DVT experience pain within the calf when their foot is flexed upwards (known as Homan's sign). But, this sign can be also associated with some other conditions and isn’t present in all the patients with DVT.

Signs of pulmonary embolism consist of shortness of breath, cough, chest pain, and low fever (approximately 101°F). In a few cases, the patients who have pulmonary embolism do cough up blood (known as hemoptysis). The condition can also cause feelings of apprehension and restlessness, and irregular heart rate (known as arrhythmia).
What is the Pulmonary Edema?
In general, Edema means swelling. This occurs typically when fluid from in blood vessels seep outside the blood vessels into the surrounding tissue, causing swelling. It can happen either due to too much of pressure in blood vessel or not sufficient proteins in bloodstream to hold up to the fluid inside the plasma (the element of the blood which does not contain the blood cell).
Pulmonaryedema causes when alveoli gets filled up with surplus fluid seeped out from the blood vessels inside the lung rather than air. It can cause trouble with exchange of gases (carbon dioxide and oxygen), resulting in breathing trouble and poor blood oxygenation. At times, this is referred to as the "water in lungs" whenever describing the conditions to the patients.
Pulmonary edema may be caused by lots of different factors. This can be related with heart failure, known as cardiogenic pulmonary edema, and related to the other causes, called as the non-cardiogenic’s pulmonary edema.

Saturday, 12 October 2013

Deep Vein Thrombosis & Pulmonary Embolism: Risk Factors and Signs and Symptoms


Deep vein thrombosis is the development of the blood clot, called thrombus, in deep leg veins. It is an extremely serious condition which can cause permanent harm to the leg, called post-thrombotic condition, or life-threating pulmonary embolism. In the US alone, 500,000 new cases are known to be diagnosed every year. The deep veins which lie near the middle of the legs are surrounded by strong muscles which contract and force the deoxygenated blood back into the heart and lungs. One-way valves stop the blood’s back-flow between the contractions. When circulation of blood slows down owing to illness, inactivity or injury, blood can amass or "pool," that provides a perfect setting for clots formation.

We can define pulmonary embolism or PE as sudden blockage in the lung artery. This blockage is caused usually by blood clot which travels to the lungs from a vein inside the leg. It occurs equally in women and men. Its risk increases with the age.
Certain hereditary condition, like the factor V Leiden, increases the PE and blood clot symptoms and its risks. Your risks for PE are high if you’ve DVT or Deep vein thrombosis or the past of DVT. In Deep vein thrombosis, blood clots form inside the deeper veins of body—mostly in the legs. The clots can break up free, travel through bloodstream to lungs, and then block any artery. Your risks for PE are high also if you had the condition earlier. Other Pulmonary Embolism Risk Factors include:
  1. ·         Being bedridden or not capable to move around too much
  2. ·         Breaking a bone or having surgery (the risk goes higher in the weeks subsequent to the injury
  3. ·         Smoking
  4. ·         Having certain conditions or diseases, such as paralysis, a stroke or high blood pressure.
People who have been recently treated for cancer now or who have central venous catheter more likely are to develop DVT that increases their risks for PE. The central venous catheter tends to be a tube placed inside a vein to permit easy access to bloodstream for medical treatments.



What Are the Symptoms of PE and DVT?
The symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis pulmonary embolism include unexplained conciseness of breath, problem in breathing, coughing, chest pain, or coughing up the blood. Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) may also suggest that you’ve PE.

At times the signs and symptoms tend to be related to only DVT. These consist of swelling of the legs or along the vein in leg, tenderness or pain in the legs, a feeling of too much warmth in area of the legs which are tender or swollen, and discolored or red skin on affected leg. Visit your doctor straight away if you’ve any symptoms or signs of DVT or PE. It's possible to have just PE and not suffer from any symptoms or signs.

Other PE Signs and Symptoms
A few people who have pulmonary embolism have feeling of dread or anxiety, fainting or light-headedness, sweating, rapid breathing, or increased heart rate.