Blood clots in youths; a public health concern.

The future of any country is invested in youths who are knowledgeable, skilled, energetic and healthy. When youths live rightly, they can surely acquire these things and put their nations on map. The unfortunate bit is that, many of them do not know what to do or neglect what they have studied and thus lose their lives. 

Ms.Joan Kabayambi, from Makerere School of public Health identified a killer, which is claiming so many lives among the youthful age which brings a loss to their families, communities and the country at large. In the words she put it that “Blood clots are claiming lives of the youths.”

Worldwide there is a rise in the number of deaths resulting from blood clots. And in Uganda the levels are alarmingly claiming lives of youths.  This should be taken as a public health concern which must handled immediately; treatment and hospitalization may be necessary. In cases of severe, life threatening pulmonary embolism, definitive treatment may consist of dissolving the clot with thrombolytic therapy.

  Anticoagulant therapy prevents the formation of more clots and allows the body to re-absorb the existing clots faster. Patients who cannot tolerate anti-coagulation therapy may need an inferior vena cava filter.

The device, placed in the main central vein in the abdomen, is designed to block large clots from traveling into the pulmonary vessels. Pulmonary vessels carry blood from the heart to lung and from the lungs back to the heart.

The oxygen therapy may be required to maintain a normal blood oxygen concentration. Surgery is sometimes needed in patients at great risk of embolism.

More importantly, the best action against a pulmonary/cardiac (heart) embolus is prevention. Minimizing the likelihood of developing a blood clot is the key in preventing the potentially fatal illness. It is important to stay active through exercise, not sit for so long at any one time, walk around every two hours, especially when embarking on a long journey.

When traveling by airplane on a long flight, take vitamin C before boarding and walk around during the flight to ensure adequate blood circulation. Dietary interventions can also guard you against clots.

Eat right. Consuming fruits especially those high in acidity may be helpful to us. Other strategies include exercising your lower leg muscles if you are sitting for long hours while traveling, getting out of bed to move around as soon as you are able after having surgery or being ill, and walking and staying active as soon as possible after surgery or during a prolonged medical illness. 

Heparin therapy (low doses of heparin injected under the skin) may be used for those on prolonged bed rest and compression stockings (sleeves that fit around the legs) can help circulate the blood but you should first consult your family physician before undertaking these preventive measures.

Increased vigilance and taking the appropriate preventive measures can help prevent deaths from blood clots; a medical problem that is both unfortunate and a growing public health concern.

My reader, save your life by doing as suggested. Am happy if you have sound health!