03 Nov 2020

Although it is not possible to prevent blood clots entirely, the risk of thrombosis can be lowered.

  This was said by Princess Marina Hospital’s Dr Mosimanegape Nkwane in an interview with BOPA following world thrombosis day on October 13.

Defining thrombosis as obstruction of blood flow in the blood vessels due to the formation of clots, he said, stopping smoking, eating healthy balanced diet, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight as well as use of medicines could reduce the risk of blood clotting. 

  Explaining that there were two types of thrombosis, arterial and venous, Dr Nkwane said the disease could result in tissue death or damage and was a major cause of morbidity and mortality in a wide range of arterial and venous diseases. 

. Arterial thrombosis,  also known as atherosclerosis, usually affected people whose arteries were clogged with fatty deposits which caused the arteries to harden and narrow over time and increase the risk of blood clots, he said. 

The risk of developing atherosclerosis, he said could be increased by factors such as getting older, smoking, an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, being overweight or obese, regularly drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, other health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes as well as family history of atherosclerosis. 

  Dr Nkwane said  clinical features included sudden clotting of an artery that could be recognised as a heart attack, when blood flow to the heart muscle is suddenly blocked, causing chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness. 

Another feature, he said, was a stroke that occurred when blood flow to the brain was cut off with the main symptoms being one side of the face dropping, weakness in one side of the body and slurred speech.

Some people experienced a transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or “mini-stroke”, when blood flow to the brain was temporarily blocked.

He said critical limb ischaemia could also be experienced, when blood supply to a limb was blocked, causing it to become painful, discoloured and cold. 

Regarding venous thrombosis, Dr Nkwane said the risks included inheriting a blood-clotting disorder. 

On its own the condition might not cause blood clots unless combined with one or more other risk factors, he said.

Dr Nkwane said prolonged bed rest, paralysis, when legs remained still for a long period could then increase the risk of blood clots.

Pregnancy, he said, increased pressure in the veins, pelvis and legs, adding that women with an inherited clotting disorder were especially at risk.

 Other factors that might increase the risk were, birth control pills  or hormone replacement therapy, being overweight or obese, said Dr Nkwane.

 He said some forms of cancer increased substances in the blood, causing clots while some forms of cancer treatment also increased the risk of blood clots.

Age, he said, was also a risk factor indicating that being older than 60 increased risks.

“Most of the factors increasing the risk of developing thrombosis apply to both types,” he said.

He said thrombosis mainly affected the large veins in the lower legs and thighs adding that the clot could block blood flow and cause leg pain or tenderness of the thigh, leg swelling (edema), skin that felt warm to the touch, reddish discoloration or red streaks, unexplained shortness of breath, rapid breathing, chest pains, fast heart rate as well as light headedness or passing out.

On treatment, he said it involved both medical and surgical interventions.

Catheter mediated interventions could be invoked to remove the clots from both the venous and arterial side in the early stage of the thrombosis, Dr Nkwane said.ends