Mrs McGinty is recovering well from her chest infection but complains of a throbbing pain in her calf. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) of the legs is common in patients with a recent stroke, particularly in older patients with severe hemiplegia who are immobile.
Owing to her communication problems Mrs McGinty is finding it difficult to describe her symptoms to the nurse but is able to indicate that there is something wrong with her calf. On observation the nurse notes that Mrs McGinty’s calf is red and is concerned that she may have developed DVT.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in one or more of the deep veins in your body, usually in the leg/s. Deep vein thrombosis can cause leg pain or swelling but DVT can also occur with no symptoms. DVT is considered a serious condition. Blood clots in the vein/s can break loose, travel through the bloodstream and get stuck in the lungs, blocking blood flow (pulmonary embolism). However, pulmonary embolism can occur with no evidence of DVT. This can cause symptoms such as: sudden shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort that gets worse with deep breaths or coughing. The person may have rapid breathing, feel lightheaded, dizzy, or faint.
- Mrs McGinty was commenced on Intermittent Pneumatic Compression (IPC) therapy when she was initially admitted to the stroke unit. IPC is used to help prevent blood clots in the deep veins of the legs. IPC therapy is recommended for use in immobile acute stroke patients and should be commenced on admission to the stroke ward in accordance to the Scottish Stroke Care Audit (SSCA) guidance & Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme (SSIP) plan, priorities and actions.
Page last reviewed: 20 Apr 2021
