History

• Blood clots were not so easy to diagnose over 50 years ago before the technical imaging machines of today were invented. The X-ray machine was probably the first invention that was tried, but was not suitable for correct results until almost the 1950s. People would complain of various maladies and die, and no one really tried to come up with a label for every death. Today, heart disease is very well documented and easy to diagnose, and so it seems that more and more people are dying from blood clots than ever before. Possibly this is in some effect due to the fact that we did not have proper diagnosis for most of the deaths that occurred until recently.
  
  

Effects

• Different effects occur from blood clots, depending on what part of the body they are formed in or more importantly where they have lodged. Clots in the legs can cause discomfort, swelling, loss of circulation below the clot. Clots in the lungs may cause an aching, coughing and shortness of breath, a rapid heart beat and anxiety. Blood clots in the brain are usually very sudden in effect and may cause muscle weakness, loss of speech, confusion, unconsciousness or death. Small clots in other areas are usually dissolved by the body before they cause a problem.
  
  

Significance

• The importance of recognizing the symptoms of a blood clot are obvious: You need medical care--quickly. Some people know they have a high risk for developing blood clots either from family history or from medical diagnosis, and are armed with medication for the unwanted emergency. Most people do not know when a blood clot is forming in their blood stream, and so educating themselves as well as the people around them is critical to their recovery.
  
  

Prevention/Solution

• The most important thing we can do for blood clots is to prevent them from happening in the first place. Certain treatments such as birth control bills have been associated with a higher risk of blood clotting. Talking to your doctor about the side effects of your medication is crucial for informed decisions, especially if you have a history of blood clotting in your family. Get your body in shape. Obesity is a huge factor in fatty blood leading to clotting. Understanding the need for HDL and LDL in the proper ratios in your cholesterol levels is key for people who might not have a weight problem. Ingesting foods like garlic and grape juice have been shown to decrease platelets in the bloodstream. Eliminate trans fats from your diet and try to eat unprocessed foods.
  
  

Considerations

• Knowing so much information about how quickly we can die from blood clots is disheartening and frightening. If we are not careful, the worry caused by the fear will do more damage to our body than if we didn't know at all. Keep your body in motion. If you have to fly often, drink water, get up and move around at least once an hour. Look for ways to move around if you work in an office environment--keep the blood flowing and stay well hydrated. The water we drink does not only lubricate our GI tract but our blood as well. Get outside and breathe deeply when you are in fresh air. Balance in diet, exercise, relationships, sleep and emotional health will keep most of us from being bothered by blood clots.