Understanding Your Blood Clot Risk

Blood clots can develop in a range of situations, such as during recovery from illness, pregnancy, surgery, or long periods of limited movement. Knowing your risk can help you recognize warning signs and take appropriate preventive steps.

In this blog, Czestochowa Francois, MD, lead physician at Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) clinics in  Purcellville, Virginia, and Leesburg, Virginia, discusses key blood clot symptoms and risk factors, how risk is assessed, and when to seek care.

If you have leg swelling, unexplained pain, warmth, or skin discoloration, schedule an evaluation with Center for Vein Restoration (CVR). A board-certified vein specialist can assess your symptoms and determine whether further testing is needed.

What Are Blood Clots?

A blood clot is a general term for a clump of blood that can form in different blood vessels. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a specific type of blood clot that most often forms in the lower leg, thigh, or pelvis, Cleveland Clinic explains. A clot can partially or completely block blood flow through the vein.

DVT is one of the most serious types of blood clots and can lead to a potentially life-threatening pulmonary embolism, so it’s an important focus when discussing blood clot risks and symptoms. These clots can migrate!

If part of the clot breaks free and travels to the lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism (PE). A PE may be life-threatening. DVT and PE together are known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). The CDC estimates that VTE affects as many as 900,000 Americans each year, with three in 10 people having another episode within 10 years after their first.

What Determines Blood Clot Risk?

Blood clot risk depends on factors that affect blood flow, damage a vein, or make blood more likely to clot. Surgery, hospitalization, limited movement, cancer, estrogen exposure, older age, obesity, pregnancy, blood disorders, and a personal or family history of VTE can all increase risk, especially when several occur together.

Blood Clot Symptoms

A DVT may cause symptoms in one leg or arm, although some people have no noticeable symptoms. Knowing the warning signs can help you seek medical attention sooner.

According to the National Library of Medicine, common DVT symptoms include:

• Swelling in the affected leg or arm
• Pain or tenderness that isn't explained by an injury
• Warmth over the affected area
• Red or discolored skin

A pulmonary embolism can occur even without obvious DVT symptoms. Warning signs include sudden difficulty breathing, chest pain that may worsen with a deep breath or cough, a rapid or irregular heartbeat, coughing up blood, lightheadedness, fainting, or very low blood pressure. PE symptoms require immediate medical attention.

Did you know? CVR offers a DVT rule-out service for same-day or next-day diagnosis and treatment plans. Call our hotline number at 877-SCAN-DVT (877-722-6388).

What Increases Your Blood Clot Risk?

Blood clots often develop when several risk factors overlap. Decreased blood flow from bed rest, paralysis, long periods of sitting, or recovery after surgery can increase risk, the National Blood Clot Alliance confirms.

Vein injury from major surgery, fractures, or severe muscle injuries can also raise risk. Prevention planning should continue through recovery.  Cancer, inherited clotting disorders, pregnancy and the months after delivery, and estrogen-containing birth control or hormone therapy are also other risk factors.

Risk also rises with age, overweight or obesity, certain heart or lung conditions, a previous DVT or PE, and a family history of VTE. Multiple risk factors make individualized prevention especially important.

How Is Blood Clot Risk Assessed?

Physicians may use a structured risk assessment model along with your medical history, exam, planned procedure, and current health. One commonly used tool is the Caprini Risk Assessment Model, which assigns points to specific VTE risk factors and is most often used in surgical settings, the Journal of Vascular Surgery explains. Other scoring criteria include the Wells criteria, or PERC criteria for management in an acute risk stratified setting. 

A higher score generally reflects more risk factors, but the score isn't a diagnosis and shouldn't be used on its own to decide whether you have a clot. Recent research reported in the National Library of Medicine shows that the Caprini model performs better in some patient groups than others and has limited predictive ability when applied broadly to all hospitalized patients.

Before surgery or hospitalization, tell your care team about previous blood clots, family history, cancer treatment, hormone use, recent immobility, pregnancy, and known clotting disorders. This helps physicians choose prevention measures that fit your situation.

How Are Blood Clots Prevented and Treated?

Prevention depends on your individual risk and the reason you're at risk. After surgery or illness, getting up and moving as soon as your medical team says it's safe can improve blood flow. Some patients may be advised to use graduated compression stockings or pneumatic compression devices. Others may need anticoagulant medication to reduce the chance of clot formation.

If a DVT is diagnosed, anticoagulants are commonly used to keep it from growing and reduce the risk of additional clots. Severe cases may require clot-dissolving treatment or a procedure to remove the clot.

After a DVT, some patients develop post-thrombotic syndrome, which can cause long-term swelling, discomfort, skin changes, or ulcers. Follow-up care can help manage these effects and monitor recovery.

When Should You Seek Medical Care?

Contact a healthcare professional promptly for new, unexplained swelling, pain, tenderness, warmth, or discoloration in one limb. Other conditions can mimic DVT, so proper testing is needed.

Call 911 or seek emergency care for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing up blood, fainting, or other symptoms of pulmonary embolism. Don't wait for leg symptoms to appear first!

Know Your Risk and Act Early with CVR’s Guidance

Understanding your blood clot risk helps you prepare for surgery, hospitalization, or limited mobility and recognize symptoms that need attention. Risk assessment works best when it supports clinical judgment and preventive planning.

If you're concerned about leg symptoms or your vein health, CVR can help you understand what may be causing them and whether vein-focused care is appropriate. Seeking expert vein care early from our board-certified specialists can provide clarity and help you take the next right step.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can a blood test tell me whether I will develop a DVT?

A: No single blood test can predict with certainty whether you'll develop a DVT. Physicians consider your health history, current risk factors, symptoms, and, when needed, diagnostic testing.

Q: Is superficial thrombophlebitis the same as DVT?

A: No. Superficial thrombophlebitis affects veins near the skin, while DVT involves deeper veins and carries a greater risk of pulmonary embolism. A physician can determine which condition is present.

Q: Should relatives be tested if blood clots run in my family?

A: Not everyone with a family history needs genetic or clotting-disorder testing. Your healthcare provider can review how many relatives were affected, their ages, and whether the clots had clear triggers before recommending testing.