What to Know About Blood Clots if You Have Sickle Cell Disease

People with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at greater risk than the general population for forming blood clots. A blood clot in one of the large veins, usually in a person’s leg or arm, is called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). If a DVT is not treated, it can get bigger or break off and travel to the lungs. A blood clot in the lung is called pulmonary embolism (PE) and can cause death. Call your provider as soon as possible if you experience any of the DVT symptoms listed below: • Swelling of your leg or arm • Pain or tenderness in your leg or arm not caused by an injury • Skin on your leg or arm that is warm to the touch, with swelling or pain • Redness of the skin on your leg or arm, with swelling or pain   Abstract source