CHENNAI: Though there is considerable public awareness about diseases affecting veins close to the skin, with the most common being varicose veins, knowledge about diseases affecting deeper veins, also known as deep veins, remains relatively low.
This is a serious concern as conditions such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), if not diagnosed and treated promptly, can be fatal. Therefore, increasing public awareness about deep vein diseases is a shared responsibility of the medical fraternity and public health agencies.
To put it in perspective, DVT is a major preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. It is estimated that venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes DVT and pulmonary embolism (PE), occurs in 1 out of every 1,000 people globally, causing between 60,000 and 1,00,000 deaths annually.
Many of these deaths are sudden, as blood clots can block the supply of blood to the heart.
DVT occurs when a blood clot (or thrombus) forms in a deep vein, typically far from the skin’s surface and situated within muscle groups.
Deep veins, which are thicker than superficial veins, are responsible for receiving blood from superficial veins and pumping it to the heart. While DVT can occur in any part of the body, it most commonly affects the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis.
Generally, DVT is caused by injured veins or sluggish blood flow. It can also be hereditary or triggered by obesity. Recent surgery, pregnancy, or childbirth can increase the risk of DVT.
Other factors include infections such as sepsis, HIV, and active tuberculosis, as well as cancers affecting areas around the veins. Alarmingly, many people experience ‘silent DVT’, which often goes unnoticed and untreated.
One alarming aspect of DVT is that it can develop suddenly and become a medical emergency. Symptoms include leg swelling or pain, warmth in the affected area, redness, tenderness, or cramping in the lower extremities.
Furthermore, DVT can lead to a pulmonary embolism if blood clots travel to the lungs, a life-threatening condition requiring immediate medical attention. Experienced doctors can diagnose DVT through a combination of medical history, physical examinations, and diagnostic tests such as blood tests, ultrasounds, or CT scans.
Treatment options include blood thinners, clot-busting medications, filters, compression stockings, and surgery.
Once DVT develops, the formation of clots in these veins can damage the vein walls and valves, leading to a narrowing or blockage of deep veins. This slows blood flow, increasing pressure and potentially causing post-thrombotic syndrome a debilitating condition.
Unfortunately, there remains limited awareness of this condition, which can result in painful leg swelling, discolouration, calf pain, and difficult-to-heal ulcers.
Treating such blockages requires expert evaluation and advanced treatments such as angioplasty and stenting, techniques available only in a limited centres across the country.
If diagnosed and treated properly, DVT is curable, with most patients recovering without severe, life-threatening complications. But, given the potential for fatal outcomes, raising public awareness is essential to prevent avoidable deaths.
(The writer heads the Department of Vascular Surgery at Starcare Hospital, Kozhikode, and is the president of Vascular Society of Kerala)