MARCH - DVT AWARENESS MONTH

Almost seven years ago, my mother passed away due to a Pulmonary Embolism, a complication associated with Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT). Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) is a common but serious medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the large veins, usually in the lower limbs. A complication of DVT, pulmonary embolism (PE), can occur when afragment of a blood clot breaks loose from the wall of the vein and migrates to the lungs, where it blocks a pulmonary artery or one of its branches.

Blockage of the main pulmonary artery by one or more of the emboli may be life threatening. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, a feeling of apprehension, rapid pulse, sweating, and/or a sharp chest pain that worsens with deep breathing. Some patients may cough bloody sputum, while others may develop very low blood pressure and pass out.

Up to two million Americans suffer from DVT each year, approximately 300,000 deaths annually result from PE, the majority of which result from DVT - more than breast cancer and AIDS combined.

In memory of my mom, I am donating 20% of all sales made during the month of March to the Vascular Disease Foundation. For more information about DVT and Pulmonary Embolism go to http://www.preventdvt.org.