Summary

Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, is a blood

clot that forms in a vein deep in the body.
Most deep vein clots occur in the lower leg
or thigh. If the vein swells, the condition is
called thrombophlebitis. A deep vein
thrombosis can break loose and cause a
serious problem in the lung, called
a pulmonary embolism.
Sitting still for a long time can make you
more likely to get a DVT. Some medicines
and disorders that increase your risk for
blood clots can also lead to DVTs.
Common symptoms are
 Warmth and tenderness over the vein
 Pain or swelling in the part of the body
affected
 Skin redness
Treatment includes medicines to ease pain
and inflammation, break up clots and keep
new clots from forming. Keeping the
affected area raised and applying moist
heat can also help. If you are taking a long
car or plane trip, take a break, walk or
stretch your legs and drink plenty of
liquids.
What is a D-dimer test?
A D-dimer test looks for D-dimer in blood.
D-dimer is a protein fragment (small
piece) that's made when a blood
clot dissolves in your body.
Blood clotting is an important process that
prevents you from losing too much blood
when you are injured. Normally, your
body will dissolve the clot once your
injury has healed. With a blood clotting
disorder, clots can form when you don't
have an obvious injury or don't dissolve
when they should. These conditions can be
very serious and even life-threatening. A
D-dimer test can show if you have one of
these conditions.
Other names: fragment D-dimer, fibrin
degradation fragment
 What is it used for?
A D-dimer test is most often used to find
out whether you have a blood clotting
disorder. These disorders include:
 Deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood
clot that's deep inside a vein. These clots
usually affect the lower legs, but they can
also happen in other parts of the body.
 Pulmonary embolism (PE), a
blockage in an artery in the lungs. It
usually happens when a blood clot in
another part of the body breaks loose and
travels to the lungs. DVT clots are a
common cause of PE.
 Disseminated intravascular
coagulation (DIC), a condition that causes
too many blood clots to form. They can
form throughout the body, causing organ
damage and other serious complications.
DIC may be caused by traumatic injuries
or certain types of infections or cancer.
 Stroke, a blockage in the blood supply
to the brain.
Why do I need a D-dimer test?
You may need this test if you have
symptoms of a blood clotting disorder,
such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or a
pulmonary embolism (PE).
Symptoms of DVT include:
 Leg pain or tenderness
 Leg swelling
 Redness or red streaks on the legs
Symptoms of PE include:
 Trouble breathing
 Cough
 Chest pain
 Rapid heartbeat