(StatePoint) Each year, dangerous blood clots affect about 900,000 people nationwide, and about half of all blood clots occur during a hospital stay or within three months of a hospital stay or surgery.
Hospitalization is a major risk factor for blood clots. While most blood clots can be prevented, nearly half of hospital patients do not receive proper prevention measures.
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Dangerous blood clots occur most often in the leg or arm. A blood clot in your leg can move or break apart and travel to your lungs, which can be deadly. The symptoms of a blood clot in your leg or arm include swelling, pain or tenderness, and skin that may be warm to the touch or discolored. The symptoms of a blood clot in your lung include difficulty breathing, chest pain that worsens with a deep breath, and coughing up blood. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms.
If you or someone you know is going to the hospital, make a prevention plan. More information about blood clots and how they can be prevented is available at stoptheclot.org/spreadtheword.
Get better. Don’t get a blood clot.
