Hospitalizations caused by deep vein thrombosis increase in the country

A study carried out by the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery (SBACV), with data from the Ministry of Health obtained from January 2012 to August 2023, reveals worrying data: more than 489 thousand Brazilians were hospitalized due to venous thrombosis in the period. In the last year of the survey, the daily average of hospitalizations exceeded the mark of 165 patients, a record for the period analyzed.

According to experts interviewed by Agência Einstein, these values ​​tend to continue rising. The causes for the increase in this disease — which is caused by the formation of a clot inside a vein, which can hinder or even obstruct the return of blood to the heart — are increasingly present in everyday life. The aging of the population, for example, is one of them. “The older the age, the greater the risks,” says vascular and endovascular surgeon Henrique Lamego Jr., coordinator of relationships with the clinical staff at Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein.

Doctors explain that a sedentary lifestyle is another important risk factor, especially for people who spend a lot of time sitting. “Today we consider sitting to be our new cigarette, as the human body was designed to be in movement and immobility favors the emergence of many diseases, including thrombosis”, says vascular surgeon Aline Lamaita, member of the Brazilian Society of Angiology and Vascular Surgery and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.

This happens because the calf muscles are an essential aid in pumping blood from the legs back to the heart and, when a person stands still for a long time, they do not work as they should. The use of hormones, which often occurs indiscriminately, obesity, smoking, varicose veins and family history are other causes of the disease.

For those who work sitting or need to spend hours in the same position, the expert recommends getting up every hour and walking for five minutes. “Moving your legs, stretching, wearing elastic compression socks and drinking plenty of water, which improves blood flow, also helps a lot,” she adds. “Leave the glass of water a little far away, enough to make you get up from your chair to get it, but not enough to make you forget to drink it”, advises the vascular surgeon.

Increase in post-pandemic cases

Covid-19 also plays a role in this scenario, as studies have revealed that in more serious cases it can trigger thrombotic disease. “In recent years, we have had a significant increase in the number of thrombosis caused by the coronavirus. Today we know that the rate of the problem in a person with Covid-19 reaches 16% and can manifest itself even in asymptomatic patients”, says the specialist. Furthermore, the pandemic caused many people to remain hospitalized for a long time and increased sedentary lifestyle.

Another point that made a difference at the time was the increase in the population's knowledge about deep vein thrombosis. “There was great and massive publicity about the disease in the media, which made many people suspicious of the symptoms they were experiencing and looking for hospitals for diagnosis and treatment”, says angiologist and vascular surgeon Armando Lobato, president of the national SBACV.

Early diagnosis is very important

Pain and swelling in the affected leg, often starting from the calf, redness or heat in the skin, swollen and visible veins and pain and sensitivity to touch are signs of the presence of deep vein thrombosis. Treatment includes anticoagulant medications, which help reduce blood viscosity and dissolve the clot. Anticoagulant therapy is also indicated to prevent the formation of new clots.

Seeking medical help as soon as possible at the first signs of the illness is very important. “Early diagnosis minimizes the risk of complications, such as the migration of the clot to the lung arteries, which can cause few symptoms if the thrombus is small, or trigger pulmonary hypertension, when the blood pressure in the lungs and on the right side of the heart is higher than normal”, says angiologist Lobato.

“Early detection of the condition also prevents or reduces the risk of pulmonary thromboembolism, a condition that can be very serious and occurs when the clot that has broken off and traveled to the lungs blocks the passage of blood in one of the organ's vessels, causing the progressive death of the affected area and triggering coughing, shortness of breath and pain when breathing, which can even lead to death”, adds the Einstein doctor.