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Once your doctor has diagnosed a blood clot, you will likely be prescribed anticoagulants, which are also called blood thinners. This medication prevents your blood from thickening, which reduces the likelihood that it will form another clot. It won't fix an existing clot, but it will keep the clot from expanding and prevent others from forming. Blood thinners are prescribed based on how long it takes your blood to clot. This is called your prothrombin time (PTT) baseline. Your doctor will conduct tests to determine your PTT before prescribing blood thinners. Blood thinners can be given as an injection or in pill form. If you're on blood thinners, take care to avoid accidents and injuries as your blood will be less able to clot. You will likely need to continue taking the blood thinners after the danger has passed so that another clot doesn't form. Your doctor will conduct blood tests to determine if the dosage of the blood thinners is correct. They will likely need to adjust the dosage frequently. A clot buster is injected into your body via an IV or catheter to break up a serious clot. Since they cause a lot of bleeding, they are only used in extreme cases. This treatment will be administered in an intensive care unit. If you are unable to take medication to prevent clots, then your doctor can insert a filter in your vena cava. This is a large vein in your abdomen. The filter will stop clots that may form from traveling to your lungs. Your doctor will need to do this in an in-patient hospital setting to ensure there are no complications. Surgery is often the last treatment option for a clot, unless you're in an emergency situation. This surgery is called a thrombectomy. The doctor will open your blood vessel, remove the clot, and then close the vein. They may also install a catheter or a stent to keep the vein open and clot free afterwards. Surgery comes with risks and is most often reserved for life-threatening situations.
Take anticoagulants as prescribed by your doctor. Ask your doctor about clot busters. Allow your doctor to insert a filter if medication is not an option. Undergo surgery to remove the clot if other treatments don't work.