Alimosho General Hospital, Igando, today, joined the rest of the globe to commemorate the Year 2020 World Thrombosis Day (WTD) with a health workshop on the disease at the General Outpatient Department (GOPD) of the facility.
Speaking during the event, Dr. Adebukola Khairat Ali, a Consultant Haematologist at the hospital, explained that Thrombosis is a situation when there are blood clots within the veins or arteries, adding that one in four people die worldwide from thrombosis related conditions.
While noting that Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) occurs across low, medium and high-income countries with 10 million cases of VTE happening annually across the globe, Dr. Ali maintained that the disease is most common in the deep veins of the leg and can cause unilateral leg swelling, pain and redness.
In her words, “These blood clots can expand and obstruct blood flow or the blood clots can break away and travel to the lungs, which can result in Pulmonary Embolism (PE) causing difficulty in breathing, cough and possibly sudden death. Thrombosis in the arteries of the heart and brain can also lead to a heart attack or stroke”.
The Consultant highlighted some risk factors of thrombosis to include immobility, especially among those hospitalised for a long period, use of contraceptives, cancers, long trips and hip or heart surgery, stressing that knowing the risk factors can, however, help in preventing the disease.
Dr. Ali disclosed that some drugs (blood thinners) could be administered or the use of mechanical compression in the form of socks to prevent thrombosis, but urged everyone at risk of DVT to avoid staying still or stationary for long hours.
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