How grave is deep vein thrombosis in the elderly?

Very Serious: If not treated appropriately this could lead to a pulmonary embolism and death.

Warning sign: Deep venous thrombosis in the elderly can result from a hypercoagulable state. Being sedentary or bedridden increases the risk. A malignancy, known or undiscovered, can increase clotting and DVT could be a warning sign. Clots can grow and travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism) and cause serious illness or death.

Can be very grave: If, as dr. Hanson said, someone has a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) that is treated properly, the clot can travel to the lungs (pe). If that person already has heart and/or lung problems, a pe could be catastrophic. As dr. Presant said, a DVT in an elderly person could certainly be an indication that they have an underlying unknown malignancy.

Dvt: The risk of dvt is possible pulmonary embolism which is risky for all and increased risk in elderly