09/17/2025
📌BLOOD CLOTS:THE HIDDEN DESTROYER
Do you know Blood clots can save your life, or take it?🤔🤔🤔
They stop bleeding when you’re injured, but if they form in the wrong place, can lead to life threatening complications.
So What are they?
How do they form?
How can we prevent them?
Let’s learn Together 👇
📌WHAT ARE BLOOD CLOTS?
Blood clots are lumps of blood that thicken into a gel-like substance.
- Normally, they form to stop bleeding from cuts and injuries
- However, sometimes they form inside blood vessels, where they block the flow of blood.
📌WHY DO BLOOD CLOTS FORM UNNECESSARILY?
Blood clots can form due to:
- Damaged blood vessels from injuries, surgery or conditions like atherosclerosis.
- Slow moving blood from prolonged sitting or lying down (during long flights or hospital stays)
- Hypercoagulable blood: This is when your blood is stickier due to genetics, hormones or an illness.
📌COMMON PLACES BLOOD CLOTS FORM
- In the brain: When clots form in the brain, they block oxygen flow, which can lead to a stroke.
Symptoms that are experienced include; sudden weakness, slurred speech, drooping face and confusion.
- In the heart: When they form in the heart, it can lead to heart attacks.
Symptoms include; Chest pain, nausea, shortness of breath, pain in other parts of the body.
- In the leg veins: When clots form in the leg vein, they lead to deep vein thrombosis, which can cause swelling, inflammation and pain.
If this same clot travels to the lungs, it becomes a pulmonary embolism, which is a medical emergency.
📌HOW DO THEY CAUSE COMPLICATIONS?
They cause complications by blocking the flow of blood.
This deprive organs and tissues of oxygen leading to tissue damage or organ failure.
However, sometimes clots have the tendency to resolve on their own.
RISK FACTORS OF CLOT FORMATION
- Lifestyle factors
• Prolonged sitting or lying down
• Smoking
• Obesity
- Medical conditions
• Diabetes
• Heart diseases
• Cancer
- Hormonal changes during pregnancy or when taking birth control pills
- Older age
- Clotting disorders
📌HOW DO YOU PREVENT BLOOD CLOTS?
- Stay active: Move every 1-2 hours, especially while at work or on long flights🚶🚶🚶🚶
- Stay hydrated: Drink water regularly, dehydration thickens the blood🥛🥛🥛
- Maintain a healthy weight: Obesity increases the risk of blood vessels damage, and blood clot formation
- Quit smoking: Smoking also damages the blood vessels, and makes clots more likely to form
- Wear compression stocking: Especially during long hours of immobility.
Compression socks apply pressure to your legs, and ankles to improve blood circulation and reduce swelling.
📌WHAT ARE THE TREATMENT OPTIONS?
Blood clots can be resolved with:
- Blood thinners (anticoagulants): They prevent clots from growing or forming
- Clot busters (thrombolytics): They break down already existing clots, and are used in emergencies like stroke
- Surgery: In severe cases, clots can be surgically removed.
📌LIFESTYLE CHANGES CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
A healthy lifestyle not only reduces your risk of clots, but also improves your overall health.
- Exercise strengthens your heart, and improves blood flow🏋️🏋️🚴🚴🤸🤸
- Eating nutritious foods keeps your blood vessels healthy🍉🥕🍊🍍🥒🍐
- Avoiding smoking and keeping off excess alcohol lowers your risk of blood vessel damage.
📌WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Blood clots don’t give a second chance. A single clot can cause irreversible damage if not prevented or treated on time.
Take control of your health today:
- Stay active
- Stay hydrated
- Stay healthy.