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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThe cause of thrombophlebitis is a blood clot. Blood clots can be caused by many different things — namely anything that causes your blood not to circulate properly. It's possible a blood clot that causes thrombophlebitis could be caused by:
- An injury to a vein
- An inherited blood-clotting disorder
Blood clots can occur for a number of reasons. One concern many people have is that blood clots can be caused by sitting for hours at a time, as when you're traveling by car or airplane. While sitting for long periods can promote a blood clot that can lead to thrombophlebitis, this occurs relatively rarely. By taking proper precautions, such as periodically stretching your legs or getting up to walk around, you can decrease your risk of developing thrombophlebitis.
- Torpy JM, et al. Thrombophlebitis. Journal of the American Medical Association. 2008;300:1718.
- Deep vein thrombosis. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Dvt/DVT_All.html. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Fernandez L, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis of the lower extremity. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- Rodriguez-Peralto JL, et al. Superficial thrombophlebitis. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine & Surgery. 2007;26:71.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec07/ch081/ch081b.html#sec07-ch081-ch081b-1758. Accessed Nov. 3, 2010.
- Di Nisio M, et al. Treatment for superficial thrombophlebitis of the leg. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2007:CD004982.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 18, 2010.
- Pradaxa (prescribing information). Ridgefield, Conn.: Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2010. http://bidocs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/BIWebAccess/ViewServlet.ser?docBase=renetnt&folderPath=/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Pradaxa/Pradaxa.pdf. Nov. 18, 2010.
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