Version July 2025
Please read the Disclaimer at the end of this page.
What are discharge instructions? —
Discharge instructions are information about how to take care of yourself after getting medical care in the emergency department ("ED").
What should I know? —
You came to the ED and were diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis ("DVT"). This means you have a blood clot within your deep veins.
A DVT can keep blood from getting back to the heart. Blood can back up and cause swelling and pain. Blood clots can also travel to other parts of the body and clog blood vessels there. If a blood clot travels to your lung, you can have serious breathing problems. This can be dangerous. If a blood clot travels to your brain, you can have a stroke.
DVTs usually happen in a vein in the leg. They can also happen in the veins of the arm. A DVT in the arm is more likely to happen if you have a thin tube called an "IV catheter" in your arm.
Most people with DVTs are put on medicines called anticoagulants or blood thinners. They help prevent the blood clot from getting bigger. They also lower your risk of getting new blood clots. Take these medicines exactly as your doctor told you to
How do I care for myself at home? —
Ask the doctor or nurse what you should do when you go home. Make sure you understand exactly what you need to do to care for yourself. Ask questions if there is anything you do not understand.
You should also:
●Call your regular doctor and tell them you were in the ED. Make a follow-up appointment if you were told to.
●Do not sit or stand in 1 position for a long time.
●Prop the area of the clot on pillows, and try to keep it above the level of your heart. This can help lessen pain and swelling.
●Quit smoking, if you smoke. Your doctor or nurse can help.
●Wear loose clothing. Your doctor might ask you to wear compression stockings or a compression sleeve.
●Take all your medicines as instructed.
When should I get emergency help?
●Call for emergency help right away (in the US and Canada, call 9-1-1) if you:
•Feel short of breath or have trouble breathing
•Have sharp or severe chest pain when you breathe
•Are coughing up blood
•Have signs of stroke, like sudden:
-Numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg, especially on 1 side of the body
-Confusion, or trouble speaking or understanding
-Trouble seeing in 1 or both eyes
-Trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
-Severe headache with no known cause
●Return to the ED if:
•You notice new or worsened swelling in your arm or leg.
•Your arm or leg becomes numb or very painful to touch.
•Your leg hurts when you walk, or your arm hurts when you move it.
•Your arm or leg turns blue or gray.
When should I call the doctor? —
Call for advice if you:
●Start to have discomfort when you take a deep breath
●Have new or worsening symptoms
Patient education: Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the arm) (The Basics)
Patient education: Deep vein thrombosis (blood clot in the leg) (The Basics)
Patient education: How to put on and take off compression stockings (The Basics)
Patient education: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (Beyond the Basics)
