Tall, Obese People More Prone To Blood Clots

Big and fat - the blood clot biathlon.

People who are tall and obese, especially men, are likely to be at significantly higher risk of developing blood clots in deep veins, according to new research from Tromso in Norway published online this week in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology: Journal of the American Heart Association.

Blood clots in deep veins are potentially dangerous because they can lead to pulmonary embolism, where a piece of the blood clot breaks off and travels to the blood vessels in the lungs, resulting in heart strain and sometimes sudden death, even at the first occurrence.

A deep vein blood clot that leads to embolism is called venous thromboembolism or VTE.

Research shows that people who are obese are at higher risk for clots in deep veins, usually in the legs. This study shows that being tall as well adds to that risk, particularly in men.

And if you thought it was hard to breathe before just from being fat, just wait.

Nothing like a blood clot in your lungs to change that perspective.

Lose the weight.