Venous Disease

About Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and Pulmonary Embolism (PE)

Veins are blood vessels that carry blood from your extremities back to your heart.  Two common forms of venous disease are deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.⁵ Deep veins are veins found deep in the body, such as the femoral vein and iliac vein. Veins close to the surface or skin are called superficial veins.  Thrombosis is another word for blood clot.⁴

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is when a blood clot forms in a deep vein in the body. Most clots form in the veins of the legs, but they can occasionally form in the arms as well. The blood clot can cause partial or complete blockage of the blood flow in the veins. 

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The most serious complication from DVT is pulmonary embolism (PE). Pulmonary means related to the lungs, and embolism means a blockage.  PE occurs when a blood clot in the veins breaks loose and travels to the heart and lungs, where it can block a pulmonary artery. A PE can cause damage to the lungs and is potentially life threatening. DVT and PE are commonly referred together as venous thromboembolism (VTE).

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