Yaz And Deep Vein Thrombosis
Yaz and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) expose millions of women to several dangerous health problems, including pulmonary embolism, stroke, and a condition known as post-phlebitic syndrome (PPS).
Yaz and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) expose millions of women to several dangerous health problems, including pulmonary embolism, stroke, and a condition known as post-phlebitic syndrome (PPS). Prior to being diagnosed as a result of DVT, PPS is known as chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The disorder usually occurs in the legs and is defined by an inability of your venous system to return oxygen-poor blood to your heart.
Below, we’ll explore how Yaz blood clots contribute to this problem, some of the side effects it produces, and how the condition is treated.
The Problem With Yaz Blood Clots
Yaz birth control is known as a fourth-generation oral contraceptive. In addition to the hormone estrogen, it contains drospirenone, a relatively new synthetic progestin. Studies have shown the estrogen-drospirenone combination leads to a 6.3-fold increase in the risk of abnormal blood clots (over non-usage).
The term “abnormal” is used in the context of clots that form outside your body’s natural clotting mechanism. This is an important distinction. When clots form naturally as the result of a venous injury, your body dissolves them once the injury has been repaired. This occurs due to the release of tissue plasminogen activator, which adheres to fibrin, one of the main building blocks of blood clots. The union produces plasmin, which digests the fibrin, and thus dissolves the clot.
Yaz blood clots escape dissolution. Because they form in the absence of a venous injury, nearby cells fail to release enough tissue plasminogen activator to dissolve them. The clots remain at the site. When this happens within the deep veins (i.e. DVT), it can lead to post-phlebitic syndrome.
How A DVT Causes Post-Phlebitic Syndrome
Blood in the deep veins of your legs is oxygen-poor. It must return to your heart and lungs to pick up more oxygen before being recirculated throughout your body. This is made possible by the muscles that surround these blood vessels. The muscles contract whenever you move, squeezing the veins and propelling blood upward.
On their own, the muscles surrounding your leg veins would be incapable of maintaining blood flow back to your heart. Once they relax, blood would flow backward into your legs. One-way valves within the veins prevent this from happening. Once blood passes through a valve, it cannot flow in the opposite direction.
With DVT, clots form within the deep venous system and cause inflammation in the valves. This damages them and impairs their ability to regulate the flow of blood. It flows backward through the valves and pools in the legs, causing swelling, pain, and in severe cases, skin ulcers. This is known as post-phlebitic syndrome. Unless it is treated, the condition will eventually lead to further clotting problems.
Treatment For Post-Phlebitic Syndrome
The most common form of treatment is to wear compression stockings around your calves. These stockings are tight and apply pressure to encourage upward blood flow. If a DVT has caused swelling in your legs, putting the stocking on may be difficult or uncomfortable. In fact, many patients who suffer post-phlebitic syndrome find wearing them intolerable.
Occasionally, doctors will recommend vein stripping or valve repair to relieve symptoms associated with PPS. Vein stripping is a procedure during which your doctor removes the affected blood vessel. However, it is usually done to remove a large superficial vein called the saphenous vein. Because valve damage from Yaz DVT typically happens in the deep veins, this approach is rarely effective.
Valve repair is done to reconstruct the damaged flaps. Your doctor can shorten the flaps by tucking them, and will sometimes install a fabric sleeve to narrow the blood vessel. The purpose of the sleeve is to bring the flaps closer to each other in order to prevent backflow. As with vein stripping, this approach is generally ineffective over the long run.
Resources:
Mike Olsen is the author of this article on Yaz Lawsuit Settlements.
Find more information about Yaz Side Effects here.
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