It is important to understand your risk for a blood clot. Knowing your risk can help you prevent blood clots, including blood clots in the arm or legs (deep vein thrombosis or DVT) and life-threatening blood clots in the lung (pulmonary embolism or PE). While blood clots can affect anyone, there are certain risk factors that put some people at a greater risk than others.
Blood Clot Risk Factors:
- Hospital stay or major surgery, especially abdominal or pelvic surgery
- Total knee or hip replacement surgery
- Major trauma, such as an automobile accident
- Injury to a vein that may have been caused by a broken bone or muscle injury
- Immobility, such as confinement to a bed or a wheelchair
- Estrogen-based birth control pills, patch or ring
- Treatment of menopause symptoms with estrogen
- Pregnancy, or the recent birth of a child
- Prior blood clot or family history of blood clots
- A genetic or acquired blood clotting disorder
- Cancer and some cancer treatments
- Some heart and lung conditions, and diabetes
- Sitting for long periods of time, such as at a desk or for extended travel, especially with crossed legs
- Obesity, or overweight
- Smoking
- 55 years of age, or older
You are at increased risk for a blood clot if….
- You or a family member have had a blood clot before
- You have had recent major surgery
- You have an inherited clotting condition
- You have cancer, or are undergoing treatments for cancer
- You are immobile for a long time (confined to bed, long-duration plane or car trip)
- You are pregnant or have recently given birth
- You use estrogen-based birth control pills or estrogen for the treatment of menopause symptoms
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