Deep Vein Thrombosis
I am sorry to hear that the United States Vice-President Dick Cheney has just developed a blood clot in his leg and is being treated with anticoagulants (blood-thinning medications) that he will need to be on for several months.
He experienced some discomfort in his lower left leg this morning, and the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis was made.
Mr Cheney is now 66 years old and has a history of cardiac problems. He has suffered at least four myocardial infarctions (heart attacks) and has a pacemaker.
He had quadruple bypass surgery in 1988 after his third heart attack.He also had an operation to remove blood clots around his knees in 2005.
Mr Cheney recently returned to Washington after long flights to Japan, Australia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
As I discussed a few months ago deep vein thrombosis – often shortened to "DVT" – can be associated with long-distance flying because it leads to inactivity and dehydration. Not, as was formerly thought, low oxygen pressure.
Blood clots in the legs are not in themselves life-threatening but they can be dangerous if they become wedged in the lungs (pulmonary embolism) or other organs, which can in severe cases be fatal.
Although the venous and arterial sides of the circulation are often thought of as quite different, it is not that unusual for someone to have problems in both, either because of immobility, metabolic disturbances or low grade inflammation.
With Spring Break and early summer vacations coming up, please don’t forget to keep moving when you are on planes, limit the alcohol and coffee cnsumption, and have plenty of water to drink.
Bon voyage!
Dr. Richard G. Petty, MD is a world-renowned authority on the brain, and his revolutionary work on human energy systems has been acclaimed around the globe.
He is also an accredited specialist in internal and metabolic medicine, endocrinology, psychiatry, acupuncture and homeopathy. He has been an innovator and leader of the human potential movement for over thirty years and is also an active researcher, teacher, writer, professional speaker and broadcaster. He is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking and best selling CD series Healing, Meaning and Purpose. He has taught in over 45 countries and 48 states in the last ten years, but spends as much time as possible on his horse farm in Georgia.
