Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) commonly occurs to people who are obese, smoke and consume alcohol, are unable to move due to confinement to bed after surgery or have a poor lifestyle with no physical movement at all.
Apart from the above-listed causes of Deep Vein Thrombosis, another popular risk factor for a venous disorder such as DVT is hereditary. Numerous scientific studies and medical researches conducted in the past decade have confirmed the strong connection between genetics and DVT.
Family history plays a major role in determining the probability of the development of blood clots in the deep veins of the lower extremities (DVT). If either of your immediate family members such as parents, grandparents, siblings, or first-cousins have known to complain of DVT in the past, you too are at a high risk of a venous disorder.
Also, there are certain genetic mutations that have been found out to promote the development of DVT. If genetic testing helps reveal all these factors that promote the occurrence of DVT, patients can take all necessary steps to reduce its likelihood.
DVT can even turn fatal if the blood clot breaks free and travels to other body parts especially the lungs or the heart. Knowing that you are at a greater risk of DVT can help you take all the desired precautionary measures to prevent it.
Family and Genes
As per the reports from a 2009 study that was published in the “Archives of Internal Medicine”, it was revealed that a history of a close family member suffering from DVT increases the chances of DVT development in the subject by 2.5 times.
The risk of DVT rose by 2.3 times when only the genetic factors were considered. However, when both genetic causes and family history of DVT were taken together into account, they boosted the likelihood of DVT in the subject by a whopping 6.3 times.
Also, if the subject was confirmed to have a family history of DVT and genetic mutations that are linked to DVT, other factors such as obesity, pregnancy, and smoking were reported to exponentially increase the risk of DVT by 64 times.
Know Your Risks
If you have been diagnosed to be at a high risk of developing DVT, you must be extra cautious and adopt a healthy lifestyle to reduce the likelihood of DVT to a minimum.
- Avoid smoking and give-up on alcohol
- Maintain a healthy weight with a BMI between 25 and 30
- Make an exercise routine and ensure to have good physical activity levels
- During long airplane journeys, try to get up and walk around as frequently as possible
All of the above actions will improve blood circulation and prevent the pooling of blood. This will limit the chances of occurrence of DVT for patients who are highly likely of complaining of a venous disorder due to family history and genetics.
If you have a family history of DVT or have had blood clots in the past, you must not ignore your vascular health and seek medical advice from trained healthcare practitioners. Dr. Rajah V Koppala is a vascular expert with international qualifications and more than two decades of medical experience.
Currently practicing at Avis Vascular Centre, he aptly analyses the patient for the development of varicose veins and examines the probability of occurrence of DVT. He recommends preventive measures along with the need for regular check-up or immediate treatment based on the patient’s medical condition.
Dr. Rajah V Koppala excels in the painless and minimally invasive laser treatment of varicose veins. Avis Vascular Centre offers a single package price for the treatment at the time of admission along with cashless Mediclaim assistance from leading national insurance agencies.
What are you waiting for? Take charge of your venous health and schedule your appointment with the vascular expert Dr. Rajah V Koppala today!
