difficult venous thrombosis (DVT) o...

difficult venous thrombosis (DVT) occurs in approximately individual in 1,000 persons per year. Approximately 20 to 50 percent of bodys with DVT develop post-thrombotic syndrome This chronic condition involves leg edema, pain, venous ectasia, skin induration, and ulceration. Post-thrombotic syndrome is deliberation to worsen with physical activity and when the patient is in an upright position. Little is known about the impact of exercise in succession the development of post-thrombotic syndrome or its signs and symptoms in patients with DVT Kahn and associates studied whether previous DVT and post-thrombotic syndrome limit the ability to exercise and whether exercise increases the severity of venous symptoms.

The subject of attention population included patients who were being seen in a hospital-based thrombosis clinic with an established diagnosis of unilateral DVT at least united year earlier. Patients were exclud from the inquiry if they had some medical reason for being unable to exercise onward a treadmill. Using a published scale that measured five symptoms and six signs with a score from naught (not present or minimal) to 3 (severe) the participants were assessed for post-thrombotic syndrome Of the 41 patients in the cogitation 19 had postthrombotic syndrome.

Physical activity, leg muscle fatigability, calf muscle flexibility, and leg convolution also were measured at the start of the contemplation Study participants then exercised onward a treadmill for up to 30 minutes, after which they were reassessed for calf muscle flexibility and leg body and completed the same symptoms and signs scale.

At baseline, patients had significantly more symptoms of heaviness, aching, swelling, and throbbing in their affected leg versus the unaffected leg Exercise did not worsen venous symptoms compared with baseline symptoms, despite the fact that there was a higher gain in leg compass in the affected leg versus the unaffected leg Post-exercise assessment also demonstrated that patients with postthrombotic syndrome significantly improved their calf muscle flexibility.

The authors close that exercise does not increase symptoms in patients with postthrombotic syndrome and improves flexibility in the affected leg Treadmill or similar exercise is not likely to worsen symptoms related to post-thrombotic syndrome Physicians can attract favor to exercise for patients with DVT and post-thrombotic syndrome

Kahn SR et al. Acute purports of exercise in patients with previous down-reaching venous thrombosis: impact of the postthrombotic syndrome Chest February 2003;123:399-405

COPYRIGHT 2003 American Academy of Family Physicians

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