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Reduce your risk of blood clots after surgery

If you're planning a surgery, it's important to ask your doctor about your risk for blood clots.

Blood clots can cause serious health problems when they form in deep veins, like those in the arm or leg (a condition called deep vein thrombosis, or DVT). From there, they can break free and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism.

While anyone can develop a clot, your chances of having one may be higher in the weeks after you have surgery. That's why it's important to understand your risk—and how to manage it—before you leave the hospital. Scroll on to learn some ways to prevent a blood clot and what to do if you think you might have one.

Move around

The flow of blood in your veins slows while you're recovering in bed or unable to move around much—which raises the risk of developing a clot. That's one reason your surgery team may have you up and moving while you're still in the hospital.

Follow their instructions to keep moving during your recovery at home. If you can't stand up and walk periodically, try to stretch and flex your feet while you're in bed or watching TV.

Apply pressure as directed

Your doctor may recommend that you wear inflatable sleeves or special compression stockings on your legs. These devices apply gentle pressure to your legs to help keep blood from pooling and clotting.

Take medications

Blood-thinning medicines, called anticoagulants, can help prevent clots. If your doctor prescribes a blood thinner, taking them exactly as prescribed—and following some basic guidelines—can give you the most benefit with the least risk of side effects, such as bleeding.

Know the symptoms

Call your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of a DVT blood clot, such as:

• Swelling in an arm or a leg.
• Skin that is painful or tender and red or warm to the touch.

Call 911 immediately

Get help right away if you have symptoms of a blood clot in the lungs, such as:

• Difficulty breathing.
• Chest pain that worsens when you breathe deeply or cough.
• A fast or irregular heartbeat.

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