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WASHINGTON — Far too many Americans are dying of dangerous blood clots that can masquerade as simple leg pain, says a major new government effort to get both patients and their doctors to recognize the emergency in time.
“It’s a silent killer. It’s hard to diagnose,” said acting Surgeon General Dr. Steven Galson, who announced the new campaign Monday.
A deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, forms in large veins, usually in a leg or the groin. It can quickly kill if it moves up to the lungs, where it is called a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms include swelling; pain, especially in the calf; a warm spot or red or discolored skin on the leg; shortness of breath or pain when breathing deeply.
