World Thrombosis Day 2015

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Because of my interest in healthy aging, I have seen a proliferation of campaigns designed at raising awareness for the following:

• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Hypertension
• Cancer, particularly breast and prostate forms

As I move into the second half of my life, I can see the need to control risk factors and the need to seek medical attention at the sign the above diseases. 
[Note: Please see a licensed medical professional if you have any concerns about your health. This post does not give medical advice; its aim is to raise awareness only.]
However, I just recently received training about a lesser-known, yet prevalent health problem: 
Venous Thromboembolis (VTE)
VTE is a condition where clots form in the vein, usually in the leg (DVT) and increase the possibility of traveling to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be fatal. 
In preparation for World Thrombosis Day 2015, Dr. Gary Raskob, a world expert on the topic, included this statement in his presentation materials:

"Worldwide, 1 in 4 people die from causes related to thrombosis; it is a common underlying cause of the world's three leading cardiovascular killers:

• Heart attack

• Stroke (ischemic kind not hemerragic kind)

• Venous thromboembolism"

In the following 6 minute video, Dr. Raskob delivers a brief-yet-comprehensive portrait of VTE, created for last year's inaugural World Thrombosis Day, which was October 13, 2014. 
Watching this may help save a life.

To watch more videos on the topic, see 2015's WTD set of videos. 

Risk Factors
There are a number of risk factors: hospital admission, surgery, age (increases by 60+ years old, but can happen at ANY age), family history, personal history, reduced mobility, cancer/chemotherapy, estrogen-based medications (e.g., oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy), pregnancy or recent birth, obesity, and smoking.  
Read these personal stories to better understand how the above risk factors affect a broad demographic of individuals.
I sit a lot.
Because I teach classes online, read voraciously, sit to watch films about aging, and maintain a blog, I am concerned about the health risk of extended sitting.

The Mayo Clinic explains why sitting increases the risk of blood clots in the legs:
"When your leg remains still for many hours, your calf muscles don't contract, which normally helps blood circulate."
"Blood clots can form in the calves of your legs if your calf muscles aren't moving for long periods."

Does your job require you to sit for long periods in cramped quarters?
Do you travel frequently by plane?
Do you have a long commute by car or train?
Do you have health problems that limit your mobility?
I need to get up more frequently and move around.
Hospitalization and Surgery are also risk factors. 
Luckily, this hasn't been an issue for me, but it's prevalent enough, that I wanted to include infographics about these risks for readers before closing.
Click on the images to enlarge them.

Click on Image to Enlarge

Click on Image to Enlarge

The organizers of World Thrombosis Day 2015 have created a rich set of webpages in an effort to help with prevention and treatment. This blog post just conveys a small portion of their materials.
I encourage you to take advantage of the well-researched and free information provided.
And please share broadly with friends and family through email and social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.).
http://www.worldthrombosisday.org/
Related 
Know the Signs of Stroke
Subtle and Atypical Signs of Heart Attack
Alz Awareness Month