Stories of Blood Clots Highlight Widespread Risk and Importance of Awareness

Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) April 22, 2016 – Sometimes the only thing that can protect people against blood clots is awareness.

In recognition of Blood Clot Awareness Month, the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) is telling one individual’s story on its website each day. Each person had a frightening experience with a blood clot, and a common theme among many of their stories is that they were not at very high risk, but had symptoms they could not ignore.

Greg Grambor is president of Vascular PRN, a distributor of pneumatic compression devices for the prevention of deep vein thrombosis and other blood clots in post-surgical and nursing home patients.

“These stories show blood clots can happen to anyone,” Grambor said. “Many of the individuals are young and healthy. Some had no identifiable risk factors whatsoever, and the cause of their clots could never be explained by doctors. With compression therapy, we can do a good job of preventing clots in the highest-risk patients. But for the greater population, awareness is the best defense.”

One person featured on NBCA’s site was just 17 when he suffered a deep vein thrombosis. Despite extensive testing following his recovery, doctors were never able to determine the cause. Another, Hailey Rutherford, suffered a blot clot under her right armpit. She carried on for the better part of a day in pain before finally going to the ER. She blames her clot on her birth control pills.

Signs of deep vein thrombosis include swelling, tenderness, discoloration and warmth in the legs or sometimes arms. Risk factors include family history of clots, prolonged bed rest, surgery, injury, pregnancy, birth control and obesity.

“Knowing the risk factors and symptoms may someday save your life,” Grambor said. “Not everyone is as lucky as these blood clot survivors.”