Diagnosis

Blood clots can affect people of any age, gender, race, or ethnicity.

Risk factors are things that increase your chances of developing a disease. Known risk factors for blood clots include:

• A hospital stay
• Surgery
• Major trauma, such as a car accident, fall, or head injury
• Infection
• Inflammatory or autoimmune disease
• Active cancer/chemotherapy
• Estrogen-containing birth control pills and hormone replacement therapies
• Pregnancy
• Obesity
• Leg paralysis
• History of heart attack or stroke
• Prior blood clot(s)
• Family history of blood clots
• Genetic or acquired clotting disorders
• Immobility (limited movement), including:
  • Being on bedrest
  • Being sedentary, meaning that you sit most of the day and are not physically active
  • Traveling for long periods of time (4+ hours on a plane, car, or train)