Blood Clot Risk and What You Can Do

Risk Factors

Estimated risk for developing a DVT (blood clot in the leg) or PE (blood clot in the lung):

High Risk

• Hospital stay
• Major surgery, such as abdominal/pelvic surgery
• Knee or hip replacement
• Major trauma: automobile accident or fall
• Nursing home living
• Leg paralysis

Moderate Risk

• Older than age 65
• Trips over 4 hours by plane, car, train, or bus
• Active cancer/chemotherapy
• Bone fracture or cast
• Birth control pills, patch, or ring
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Pregnancy or recently gave birth
• Prior blood clot or family history of clot
• Heart failure
• Bed rest over 3 days
• Obesity
• Genetic/hereditary or acquired blood clotting disorder

Average Risk

• Active
• Younger than age 40
• No history of blood clots in immediate family
• No conditions or illnesses that heighten clotting risk

Practical Steps to Lower Your Risk for a Blood Clot

• Ask your doctor about need for “blood thinners” or compression stockings to prevent clots, whenever you are admitted to the hospital
• Lose weight, if you are overweight
• Stay active
• Exercise regularly; walking is fine
• Avoid long periods of staying still
• Get up and move around at least every hour whenever you travel on a plane, train, or bus, particularly if the trip is longer than 4 hours
• Point and flex your toes and make circles with your feet if you cannot move around while sitting for prolonged periods to get your blood circulating
• Stop at least every two hours when you drive, and get out and move around
• Drink a lot of water and wear loose fitted clothing when you travel
• Talk to your doctor about your risk of clotting whenever you take hormones, whether for birth control or replacement therapy, or during and right after any pregnancy
• Follow any self-care measures to keep heart failure, diabetes, or any other health issues as stable as possible