HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
Some people may have a high risk of having another deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE). If you're one of these people, your doctor may advise you to continue taking blood thinning medication, or to take it in circumstances where you might be at risk of another DVT.
Many factors can increase your risk of developing a DVT. The more risk factors you have, the greater your risk.
In the future, always tell your health professional that you've had a DVT, even if you do not know if it's relevant to what you're being treated for.
Your doctor may suggest some tests to find out what caused your DVT or PE. To reduce the risk of further problems, your doctor may suggest you wear compression stockings, but they aren't suitable for everyone.
If you wear compression stockings, you can buy a device to help you put them on. This video shows you how to use one of these devices. You can buy a device like this at your local health and mobility shop.
You can reduce your chance of another DVT or pulmonary embolism PE by:
When travelling long distances (more than four hours) by plane, car or train:
Aspirin does not reduce your risk of having a DVT. But if you are at a high risk of having a DVT, your doctor may recommend you have another blood thinning medication before long travel.
HealthInfo recommends the following pages
Information about blood clots and how to reduce the risk of them forming.
Information about TED stockings, including how they work, how to put them on and how to look after them.
A factsheet that discusses the link between DVT and long journeys and gives prevention advice.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed February 2023.
Review key: HIDVT-21919