Blood clots

We understand it can be unsettling to learn you have a blood clot or clotting disorder. Your care team at Aurora is here to support you through every step of your testing and treatment.

We’ll do whatever we can to arrange your appointments on the same day to save you time. And by participating in research and clinical trials, we always have the newest, most effective treatment options for you.

What are blood clots?

Blood clotting is a natural process that helps your body stop bleeding after you’ve been cut or injured. Once you start healing, your body automatically breaks down and dissolves the blood clots, which are thickened clumps of blood.

However, not all blood clots play a helpful role. If your body forms clots too easily or doesn’t allow them to dissolve properly, the clots can threaten your life. They can block or restrict blood flow inside your veins and arteries, which can seriously damage your tissues and organs.

If you have blood clot symptoms, it’s important to seek treatment right away. Depending on where they’re located, clots can turn into embolisms, such as a pulmonary embolism. Embolisms are clots that break loose and travel through a vein or artery, blocking blood flow and possibly damaging your brain, heart, lungs or limbs.

Blood clot symptoms

Certain signs of blood clots, like blood pressure changes, could signify something serious. Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know has any of these symptoms:

• Unexplained, sudden high blood pressure
• Leg pain, swelling, redness and warmth, which may be signs of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), often caused by a blood clot in the leg
• Problems speaking or understanding speech, intense headache, paralysis or dizziness, which may be signs of a blood clot in your brain’s carotid artery that may be causing a stroke
• Shortness of breath or pain in your chest, arm, shoulder or jaw, which are possible signs of a clot causing a heart attack or pulmonary embolism

A blood clot can cause high blood pressure if it travels to the kidneys, which can lead to kidney damage or kidney failure. A blood clot can also cause high blood pressure due to a pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolisms often occur as a complication of deep vein thrombosis.

What causes blood clots?

Blood clots can be caused by many conditions and diseases. Some people may be more likely to develop blood clots.

The cause of blood clots may be related to the following risk factors:

• Genetic health conditions related to developing clots
• Having diabetes or metabolic syndrome, conditions that can encourage clot formation
• Overweight or obesity
• Smoking
• Pregnancy
• Being inactive for long periods of time due to travel, illness or surgery

Blood clot testing & diagnosis

If you have blood clot symptoms or risk factors related to a clotting disorder, your doctor will ask you about your personal and family medical histories. They may also order some tests, such as:

• Blood work: We may recommend lab tests or refer you to a hematologist, a doctor who specializes in blood disorders.
• CT scan, MRI or other imaging tests: In some cases, we may need images of your veins, abdomen, chest, brain or other location a clot may have formed. or other imaging tests: In some cases, we may need images of your veins, abdomen, chest, brain or other location a clot may have formed.
• Echocardiogram: This imaging method uses sound waves to create pictures of your body’s organs and blood vessels.

Find out more about our heart and vascular testing and diagnosis.

Blood clot treatment

Your doctor will thoroughly discuss with you the treatment options for your specific situation. Options can vary and depend on how serious the blood clot or clotting disorder has become. Your doctor may recommend:

• Medication: If the clot doesn’t pose an emergency, we may treat it with anticoagulants, or blood thinners. We’ll carefully monitor your blood to make sure the medication doesn’t cause additional bleeding. At our special anticoagulation clinics, we provide blood testing, dosing instructions and education – all to minimize any problems with blood thinners and bring you peace of mind.
• Emergency blood clot treatment: If a clot causes a stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism or other serious condition, you’ll need immediate, emergency treatment such as:
  • Catheter-directed thrombolysis: This cardiac catheterization procedure uses a thin tube called a catheter to direct medication into the blood clot to dissolve it.
  • Vena cava filter replacement: Your surgeon inserts a metal filter into an abdominal vein to stop blood clots from moving to your lungs or heart.
• Lifestyle changes: If you have underlying health conditions that increase your risk of developing blood clots, your doctor may recommend making some lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, getting more regular exercise and eating a healthy diet.