Knowing about available treatments can help improve the dialogue with your doctor
After your doctor assesses the severity of your along with other lifestyle or risk factors, he or she will most often prescribe an oral medication, an injection medication or a combination thereof. However, other treatments as well as surgery for acute cases are also available.
Anticoagulants
The name “blood thinners” can be misleading, as anticoagulants are actually designed to interrupt the clotting process, both to prevent a from growing larger and to reduce the chances of a new clot forming. This is why treatments last several months – the treatment is continually administered as the body itself dissolves the clot.
Thrombolytics or “clot busters”
The name sounds like a quick fix for getting rid of your clot and moving on. And true to form, thrombolytics do actually dissolve the clot itself (unlike heparin, or other oral treatments). However, this option is typically only prescribed in more severe situations because the drug can cause sudden bleeding.
Surgery
Depending on your circumstances, your doctor may determine that the best method of treatment is surgery. Two types are available: vena cava filter and venous thrombectomy.
A vena cava filter is a small device that physically catches blood clots in order to stop them from moving into the lungs. As this is a filter, it allows blood to pass through, but it cannot do anything to actually dissolve the clot itself or prevent new ones from forming.
Venous thrombectomy is a rare procedure that is performed in serious and complex situations. In this case, a surgeon goes into the deep vein and physically removes the clot.
If you would like more details about the particular medicines or procedures available, or to understand more about the risks and benefits associated with any of these treatments, please ask your doctor.
MAT 50147 Last approved April 2022
