Thrombosis Canada is dedicated to furthering education and awareness about thrombosis. Issues around blood clots and COVID-19 have made our work more relevant than ever.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on our day-to-day lives. It has negatively affected the health of millions of Canadians relating to COVID-19 disease and other areas of health. One of the unexpected consequences of the pandemic has been an increased awareness of thrombosis (blood clots) because thrombosis is very common with COVID-19 infection. As a consequence, many more Canadians are aware of the threat of thrombosis to their health today than they were a year ago. Are you?
What is Thrombosis?
Thrombosis, also called blood clots, can occur in various parts of the body:
- deep vein thrombosis (DVT); in the leg
- pulmonary embolism (PE); in the lung
- cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: in the venous sinuses of the brain, which prevents blood from draining out of the brain
- portal vein thrombosis; the blood vessel that brings blood to the liver from the intestines
Approximately 1.3 out of 1,000 Canadians per year will develop thrombosis (blood clot). The most common symptoms are leg tenderness or swelling, chest pain, light-headedness, and being out of breath. Severe headaches or abdominal pain can also be signs in rare cases. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of thrombosis can help you to seek timely medical assistance that can significantly improve outcomes. Our website has short videos and a Frequently Asked Questions document to help you learn more about thrombosis and understand your risks. Learn more at thrombosiscanada.ca.
Thrombosis and COVID-19
COVID-19 has introduced a new concern for Canadians around thrombosis. Everyone should know that there is an increased risk of thrombosis associated with COVID-19. Early in the pandemic, we learned that individuals who get COVID-19 are at higher risk of thrombosis. Evidence to date has shown that up to 10% of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 will have a blood clot. This is just one of the reasons why we strongly recommend that all Canadians get vaccinated.
Learn More
We’re pleased that more Canadians are aware of thrombosis, although we would have preferred that the awareness had come from a more positive experience. Given the increased awareness that has resulted over the last year, we’ve seen more people going to our site and reviewing our education materials, such as our CLOTS resources. We are pleased to provide information and support during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please consider donating to help us to continue to educate Canadians on thrombosis at thrombosiscanada.ca/donate.
