What is the common treatment for a blood clot?

What is the common treatment for a blood clot?

Anticoagulants: The most common treatment for a blood clot is anticoagulants or blood thinners. They work by reducing the body’s ability to form new clots and preventing existing clots from growing larger. Anticoagulants can be given in the form of pills or intravenous injections.

How do hospitals treat blood clots?

Sometimes a catheter-based procedure to break up or remove the clot is necessary. Other times, clot-busting drugs (thrombolytics) can be used. For venous clots, your Dignity Health doctor may prescribe blood thinners (anticoagulants) to help blood flow past the clot and prevent the clot from growing.

How quickly does a blood clot need to be treated?

A DVT or pulmonary embolism can take weeks or months to totally dissolve. Even a surface clot, which is a very minor issue, can take weeks to go away. If you have a DVT or pulmonary embolism, you typically get more and more relief as the clot gets smaller.

Can you go home with a blood clot?

People with DVT can often go home and complete treatment as an outpatient. You will need to follow-up with your personal doctor. However, having a PE usually means the ER staff will admit you to the hospital for aggressive medical therapy and close monitoring. This is especially true if your PE symptoms are severe.

Do they hospitalize you for blood clots?

An ultrasound is the most common diagnostic test for DVT and uses sound waves to create a picture of the arteries and veins in the leg. Doctors also can order a blood test known as the D-dimer test. Computed tomography (CT) scans are typically used to diagnose PE.

How do you break down a blood clot at home?

To ease the pain and swelling of a DVT, you can try the following at home:

1. Wear graduated compression stockings. These specially fitted stockings are tight at the feet and become gradually looser up on the leg, creating gentle pressure that keeps blood from pooling and clotting.
2. Elevate the affected leg.
3. Take walks.

How long is a hospital stay for a blood clot?

How Long is a Hospital Stay for a Blood Clot or DVT? The length of time you will stay in the hospital for treatment of a blood clot varies. The average hospital stay length is between five and seven days. However, some people may only stay for two or three days while others stay for two to three weeks.