How Serious Are Jalen Hurts' Blood Clots?

— It's not unheard of for young athletes to develop deep vein thrombosis after an injury

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While deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism are more common in older patients, it's not unheard of for younger athletes to develop these conditions -- especially if there is an acute risk factor like a leg injury, as was the case for football star Jalen Hurts, experts said.

An injury can prompt an inflammatory process that raises the risk of developing blood clots, and genetics can also play a role, Gita Lisker, MD, a pulmonologist at Northwell's Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York, told MedPage Today.

Hurts, the 28-year-old quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, was initially diagnosed with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis after he said he was "cleated" during a match against the Los Angeles Rams in early October. A follow-up ultrasound after an Oct. 11 game revealed that the clot had moved, and after even more testing, he was found to have DVT and blood clots in both lungsopens in a new tab or window.

He's being treated with blood thinners and won't be able to play in any contact activities, the Eagles said in an Instagram postopens in a new tab or window. "Jalen's prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery," the post stated, "More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects."

It's possible the injury caused the blood clots, or the clots could have been there all along, Lisker said.

"It could have started as a superficial vein thrombosis, which then could have spread through a vein into a deep vein thrombosis," she told MedPage Today. "Or they could have just existed at the same time" and the superficial thrombosis was simply caught first.

With superficial thrombosis, clots form in veins just below the skin. This can lead to symptoms such as redness, swelling, and inflammation. It's often treated locally with anti-inflammatory medications, antibiotics, or compression, and many people don't know they have it, Lisker said.

With DVT, clots form in deeper veins -- most often the legs. This carries an increased risk of clots traveling up into the lungs, or pulmonary embolism, which can lead to serious consequences and even death.

"Not all DVTs will cause pulmonary embolism, but most pulmonary embolisms come from DVTs," Lisker said.

With DVT, patients may experience pain and swelling of one leg and potentially some redness. Symptoms of pulmonary embolism include shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations, lightheadedness, or dizziness.

Anticoagulation is the standard of care following DVT and pulmonary embolism, Lisker said. The goal is to prevent new clots from forming and to stabilize the existing clots while the body reabsorbs them. Anticoagulation generally lasts for 3 to 6 months after the acute clotting incident, depending on risk factors.

Given the increased risk of bleeding while on anticoagulation, it's important to avoid high-impact contact sports like football, which can result in cuts from sharp cleats or head traumas from tackles, experts said.

While it's essential to avoid bleeding injuries while on blood thinners, it's also important to stay active while on the therapy, noted Bushra Mina, MD, chief of pulmonary medicine for Northwell's Northern Westchester Hospital.

"If you don't exercise and get back in shape," Mina told MedPage Today, "then you're going to have a problem with shortness of breath 3 months down the road."