Pill Bottle
This week, doctors have shared another risk factor for pulmonary embolisms, DVTs, and other types of venous thrombosis. The good news is that we now have another risk factor that we can avoid. The bad news is that the risk factor is a critical treatment for many patients. Glucosteroids, one of which is cortisone, have been found to increase the risk of having a venous blood clot by two to three times. Even more problematic is that the form of the steroid doesn't matter. Inhaled, injected, or swallowed, all glucosteroids increase the risk of a clot (although some forms are more risky than other forms).
Doctors are already cautious about using glucosteroids due to their lengthly list of frequent, serious side effects. This caution should continue. The risk of clots is the highest after beginning a new steroid regimen. The risk continues throughout the steroid use and then for at least a year after the steroid is discontinued.
The important thing to learn from this study is that every patient needs to discuss this risk with his or her doctor. It would be a good idea to discuss the risk of the steroid, other risks that the patient has, and possible ways to lower the risk of clotting.
To read more about the study see http://ow.ly/jYWTF
Picture By Kevin Dufendach [CC-BY-3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Doctors are already cautious about using glucosteroids due to their lengthly list of frequent, serious side effects. This caution should continue. The risk of clots is the highest after beginning a new steroid regimen. The risk continues throughout the steroid use and then for at least a year after the steroid is discontinued.
The important thing to learn from this study is that every patient needs to discuss this risk with his or her doctor. It would be a good idea to discuss the risk of the steroid, other risks that the patient has, and possible ways to lower the risk of clotting.
To read more about the study see http://ow.ly/jYWTF
Picture By Kevin Dufendach [CC-BY-3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
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