Blood Clot Risk and What You Can Do

Risk Factors

Estimated risk for developing a DVT (blood clot in the leg) or PE (blood clot in the lung):

High Risk

  • Hospital stay
  • Major surgery, such as abdominal/pelvic surgery
  • Knee or hip replacement
  • Major trauma: automobile accident or fall
  • Nursing home living
  • Leg paralysis

Moderate Risk

  • Older than age 65
  • Trips over 4 hours by plane, car, train, or bus
  • Active cancer/chemotherapy
  • Bone fracture or cast
  • Birth control pills, patch, or ring
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Pregnancy or recently gave birth
  • Prior blood clot or family history of clot
  • Heart failure
  • Bed rest over 3 days
  • Obesity
  • Genetic/hereditary or acquired blood clotting disorder

Average Risk

  • Active
  • Younger than age 40
  • No history of blood clots in immediate family
  • No conditions or illnesses that heighten clotting risk

Practical Steps to Lower Your Risk for a Blood Clot

  • Ask your doctor about need for “blood thinners” or compression stockings to prevent clots, whenever you are admitted to the hospital
  • Lose weight, if you are overweight
  • Stay active
  • Exercise regularly; walking is fine
  • Avoid long periods of staying still
  • Get up and move around at least every hour whenever you travel on a plane, train, or bus, particularly if the trip is longer than 4 hours
  • Point and flex your toes and make circles with your feet if you cannot move around while sitting for prolonged periods to get your blood circulating
  • Stop at least every two hours when you drive, and get out and move around
  • Drink a lot of water and wear loose fitted clothing when you travel
  • Talk to your doctor about your risk of clotting whenever you take hormones, whether for birth control or replacement therapy, or during and right after any pregnancy
  • Follow any self-care measures to keep heart failure, diabetes, or any other health issues as stable as possible

Current News

Blood Clot Awareness Month Just Got Bigger and Brighter!

We are absolutely thrilled to reveal that the National Blood Clot Alliance has a public service announcement on the seven-story-high…

NBCA Urges Congress to Protect Americans From Blood Clots

The National Blood Clot Alliance Volunteer President Leslie Lake called upon Congress to protect the American public from blood clots…