British Heart Foundation: Understanding blood clots
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In a revealing Instagram post on Friday, November 18, Al Rocker wrote: “So many of you have been thoughtfully asking where I’ve been. Last week I was admitted to the hospital with a blood clot in my leg which sent some clots into my lungs.” Blood clots can be life-threatening, especially a pulmonary embolism, which is what Rocker suffered from.
The NHS clarifies: “A pulmonary embolism is a blocked blood vessel in your lungs. It can be life-threatening if not treated quickly.”
The symptoms of a pulmonary embolism can include feeling pain in the chest or upper back, difficulty breathing, and coughing up blood.
“You may also have pain, redness and swelling in one of your legs (usually the calf),” the NHS adds.
Medical care is imperative if somebody is presenting with symptoms of a pulmonary embolism.
Rocker added: “After some medical whack-a-mole, I am so fortunate to be getting terrific medical care and on the way to recovery.”
The NHS says “you’ll probably be given an injection of anticoagulant medicine”, which stops blood clots getting bigger.
“You should make a full recovery from a pulmonary embolism if it’s spotted and treated early,” the health body notes.
Rocker said: “Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers and hope to see you soon.”
How to minimise your risk of a pulmonary embolism
To help prevent a pulmonary embolism, the NHS recommends wearing “loose-fitting clothing”.
Hydration is key, as well as bending and straightening the legs, feet and toes every 30 minutes while sitting.
If you sit for long periods of time without moving, this is a risk factor for a blood clot in the leg.
Other risk factors include consuming alcohol, drinking too many caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, and taking sleeping pills.
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A post shared by Al Roker (@alroker)
The British Lung Foundation expanded on how inactivity is a risk factor for a pulmonary embolism.
“When you’re inactive, blood tends to collect in the lower parts of your body, particularly in your lower legs,” the charity notes.
“This isn’t usually a problem because when you start to move, your blood flow increases, and blood begins to move more evenly round your body.
“But if you’re immobile for a long time, the flow of blood around your body can slow and clot.
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A post shared by Al Roker (@alroker)
“[This can cause] a DVT [deep vein thrombosis] that can break off and cause a pulmonary embolism.”
The NHS advises everybody to move around for 150 minutes each week.
Not only will this reduce your risk of a pulmonary embolism, it will also decrease your risk of numerous diseases.
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