A new study has revealed that Covid infection can increase the risk of developing blood clots for up to six months.
Blood clots can be very serious if they are not treated quickly.
Clots are often found in the leg - leg clots are called DVT (deep vein thrombosis) - but also also be found in other areas throughout the body such as the lungs.
The new research suggests that risk of DVT was “significantly increased” for three months after Covid-19 infection with the of risk pulmonary embolism - a blocked blood vessel in the lungs - increased for six months post infection.
As well as Covid, there are a number of other risk factors when it comes to blood clots - from smoking to obesity.
However, living a healthy lifestyle and staying active can help prevent them in many cases.
Here is everything you need to know including the symptoms and who else may be most at risk.
What are the symptoms of a blood clot?
According to the NHS, symptoms of a blood clot include:
- throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in a leg or arm
- sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain (may be worse when you breathe in) and a cough or coughing up blood
Blood clots can be life threatening if not treated quickly.
Who is most at risk of blood clots?
The new study suggests that Covid increases the risk of developing a blood clot.
There are also a number of other risk factors that may mean you are more likely to suffer from a blood clot.
According to the NHS, you're more likely to get them if you:
- are staying in or recently left hospital – especially if you cannot move around much (like after an operation)
- are overweight
- smoke
- are using combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, contraceptive patch or vaginal ring
- have had a blood clot before
- are pregnant or have just had a baby
- have an inflammatory condition such as Crohn’s disease or rheumatoid arthritis
Are there any ways to reduce risk or prevent blood clots?
The NHS states that there are some things that you should and should not do if you are at risk of developing a blood clot.
In order to reduce risk or prevent a clot, you should:
stay active – taking regular walks can help
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration – you're more likely to get a clot if you're dehydrated
try to lose weight if you're overweight
wear flight stockings or flight socks to improve your blood flow on long flights – a pharmacist can advise you about this
There are a number of things you should avoid.
The NHS advice is as follows:
do not sit for long periods without moving, if you can avoid it
do not drink lots of alcohol – this can make you dehydrated
do not smoke
When to seek medical attention
You should seek medical attention by calling 111 if you have any symptoms of a blood clot listed above.
They will be able to arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if required.
However, you may need urgent medical attention in some cases.
You should call 999 or go to A&E right away if:
- you're struggling to breathe
- someone has passed out
This could be a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which needs to be treated immediately.
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