On March 26th, basketball player Damian Lillard was diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and will be sidelined indefinitely; Not long ago, star player Wenban Yama missed the remaining games of the season due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder. These two incidents have raised public attention to deep vein thrombosis disease. In people's impression, the elderly and those who sit, lie down, or stand for a long time are the main groups affected by deep vein thrombosis. Professional athletes with a good foundation in sports can also be "blocked" by deep vein thrombosis, and the thrombosis also occurs in an uncommon shoulder area, which is beyond the knowledge of many people. How is deep vein thrombosis formed? What are the hazards to the patient's body? How can we prevent it? A reporter from Science and Technology Daily interviewed Zhang Tao, Deputy Director and Chief Physician of the Department of Vascular Surgery at Peking University People's Hospital. Commonly found in the lower limbs and occasionally in the upper limbs, Zhang Tao stated that deep vein thrombosis is one of the most common types of thrombosis in clinical practice. It refers to abnormal coagulation of blood in deep veins, obstruction of the venous lumen, etc., leading to venous reflux disorders and subsequent clinical symptoms. Deep vein thrombosis is more common in the lower limbs, clinically manifested as swelling, pain, and superficial varicose veins in one leg. He further explained that due to the fact that the veins in both legs are farthest from the heart, their venous blood has to overcome gravity and return to the heart, making the deep veins in the lower limbs the most prone to thrombosis. The commonly known economy class syndrome and mahjong syndrome are caused by prolonged sitting and low water intake, leading to the formation of deep vein thrombosis in the lower limbs. Stagnation of venous blood flow, damage to the venous vessel wall, and hypercoagulability are the three major factors contributing to the formation of deep vein thrombosis. As long as either or both of these elements are met, even athletes can develop deep vein thrombosis, and the affected area may even be in the upper limbs Zhang Tao stated. Venous blood stasis refers to the slow flow of venous blood, which increases the time for activated platelets and coagulation factors to come into contact with the venous wall, leading to the formation of blood clots; The venous vessel wall has three layers, and its endothelium has anticoagulant and inhibitory effects on platelet adhesion and aggregation. After damage to the venous vessel wall, platelet aggregation can occur, leading to the formation of blood clots; Blood hypercoagulability refers to the coagulation of blood in the venous system. If accompanied by venous blood flow stasis or damage to the venous vessel wall, it greatly increases the probability of deep vein thrombosis formation. Zhang Tao believes that on the one hand, athletes may suffer from falls, sprains, or strains during long-term intense exercise. Once the venous vessel wall is damaged, the blood vessels will immediately initiate a coagulation cascade reaction. Overreaction can lead to the formation of blood clots. For example, some people who enjoy weightlifting, climbing, tennis and other sports may develop deep vein thrombosis in the upper limbs, such as axillary subclavian thrombosis. On the other hand, excessive sweating and inability to replenish water in a timely manner after athletes engage in extensive exercise can lead to blood concentration or even hypercoagulability, thereby increasing the risk of deep vein thrombosis formation. High risk individuals with rapidly developing conditions should be alert to the fact that deep vein thrombosis can be divided into three stages based on the duration of thrombus formation: acute phase, sub phase, and chronic phase. Acute deep vein thrombosis refers to the formation of blood clots within one week, usually during the optimal treatment period. Thrombosis formed within one month is a subtype of deep vein thrombosis; If it exceeds one month, it is chronic deep vein thrombosis. Once deep vein thrombosis forms, it not only does not disappear on its own, but also continues to grow. Perhaps the blood clot was very small during today's examination and grew to over ten centimeters after a few days. Therefore, the earlier the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis is made, the better the treatment effect Zhang Tao emphasized. Zhang Tao stated that in the early stages of deep vein thrombosis, oral medication, subcutaneous injection, and other anticoagulant treatment options are preferred to prevent the continued formation of the thrombus, while avoiding rubbing and massaging the limbs; Secondly, removing the already formed blood clots is also a common treatment method. Zhang Tao reminded that if deep vein thrombosis has progressed to the chronic stage, patients may experience obvious symptoms such as pigmentation, pain and swelling, accompanied by eczema and ulcers. Moreover, it is possible for blood clots to detach and migrate back to the lungs with the blood, causing pulmonary embolism and endangering life and health, such as respiratory and cardiac arrest. Therefore, sedentary individuals, bedridden individuals, pregnant women, and those with a history of deep vein thrombosis have a higher risk of developing thrombosis than the general population, and should be highly vigilant to avoid further deterioration of symptoms. So how to prevent the formation of deep vein thrombosis? Zhang Tao suggests that in daily diet, one can choose light and fresh foods, such as hawthorn, oats, eggplants, sweet potatoes, onions, etc., which are beneficial for vascular health and maintain the elasticity of blood vessel walls. For high-risk individuals, physical methods such as intravenous foot pumps, intermittent inflation and compression devices, and gradient pressure elastic socks can be used to compress muscle tissue for passive activity, promote blood circulation, and prevent blood stasis. Sports enthusiasts don't have to be afraid to exercise just because athletes are diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis Zhang Tao said that warming up and relaxing before and after exercise, and ensuring adequate hydration during exercise to keep the blood in a relatively diluted state can effectively prevent the occurrence of deep vein thrombosis. In addition, if sports injuries occur, professional treatment should be sought promptly to avoid thrombosis. (New Society)