Specialty Pharmacy

Deep Vein Thrombosis

What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood clot that forms in a vein deep in the body. Blood clots occur when blood thickens and clumps together. Most deep vein blood clots occur in the lower leg or thigh, but they also can occur in other parts of the body.

Causes

DVT’s can be caused by a number of reasons:

  • Damage to a vein’s inner lining.
  • Slow blood flow caused by lack of motion.
  • You have blood that is thick and prone to clotting.

Treatment

Anticoagulants are the most common treatment for DVT. They can keep a clot from growing or breaking off, and they prevent new clots from forming. But they can’t thin your blood, despite their name, or dissolve an existing clot.