The American Blood Clot Association: A Non-Profit Charity
Blood Clot Awareness & Prevention | The American Blood Clot Association
A blood clot can happen to anyone — and when it does, it can become life-threatening within hours. Each year, hundreds of thousands of Americans experience deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE), two serious forms of blood clot disease that together are known as venous thromboembolism (VTE). Many cases are preventable with education, awareness, and early recognition of symptoms.
The American Blood Clot Association is a national blood clot charity dedicated to saving lives through education, prevention initiatives, support groups, and patient advocacy. Our mission is simple: reduce preventable deaths caused by blood clots and ensure every person understands the warning signs before it is too late.
What Is a Blood Clot?
A blood clot is a clump of blood that has changed from a liquid to a gel-like or semisolid state. Clotting is a natural and necessary process that helps stop bleeding when you are injured. However, when a clot forms inside a vein or artery without a proper reason, it can block normal blood flow and become dangerous.
The most common serious blood clots include:
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein, typically in the leg. DVT can cause swelling, pain, and damage to the vein. The most serious complication of DVT happens when part of the clot breaks loose and travels to the lungs.
Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot travels to the lungs and blocks a pulmonary artery. PE can cause sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, heart strain, and in severe cases, sudden death. Pulmonary embolism is one of the leading preventable causes of hospital-related death in the United States.
Understanding the difference between normal clotting and dangerous clot formation is essential to prevention.
Blood Clot Statistics in the United States
Blood clots are more common than many people realize.
- An estimated up to 900,000 Americans experience a blood clot each year.
- As many as 100,000 deaths annually may be attributed to venous thromboembolism.
- Pulmonary embolism is a leading cause of preventable hospital death.
- Many blood clots occur during or after hospitalization, surgery, cancer treatment, or prolonged immobility.
Despite these numbers, public awareness remains low. Studies consistently show that many people cannot identify the symptoms of a blood clot or do not recognize their personal risk factors.
As a leading blood clot charity, we are committed to changing that through national education campaigns and patient-centered resources.
Blood Clot Symptoms Everyone Should Know
Recognizing blood clot symptoms early can save lives. Symptoms vary depending on where the clot forms.
Symptoms of Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Swelling in one leg (rarely both)
- Leg pain or tenderness, often starting in the calf
- Warmth in the affected area
- Red or discolored skin
- Leg fatigue or heaviness
DVT symptoms can sometimes be subtle. Any unexplained leg swelling or pain should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Symptoms of Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
- Sudden shortness of breath
- Sharp chest pain, especially when breathing deeply
- Rapid heartbeat
- Lightheadedness or fainting
- Coughing up blood
A pulmonary embolism is a medical emergency. If you or someone near you experiences these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention.
Early detection dramatically improves survival rates.
Who Is at Risk for Blood Clots?
Blood clots can affect people of all ages, but certain risk factors increase likelihood.
Common risk factors include:
- Recent surgery or hospitalization
- Cancer and cancer treatment
- Pregnancy and postpartum period
- Hormonal birth control or hormone therapy
- Long periods of immobility (travel, bed rest)
- Obesity
- Smoking
- COVID-19 infection
- Family history of blood clots
- Genetic clotting disorders
Understanding personal risk empowers prevention. Many hospital-related clots can be prevented with proper screening and preventive measures.
Why Blood Clot Awareness Matters
Blood clot disease does not always receive the same public attention as heart attacks or strokes, yet it claims tens of thousands of lives each year. The tragedy is that many of these deaths are preventable.
Lack of awareness leads to delayed diagnosis. Delayed diagnosis leads to avoidable complications. Education changes outcomes.
The American Blood Clot Association works to close the awareness gap by:
- Providing educational materials to patients and families
- Supporting healthcare provider education
- Advocating for prevention protocols in hospitals
- Support Groups
- Raising national awareness about blood clot symptoms and risk
As a nonprofit blood clot charity, our work depends on public support and community engagement.
Support the Leading Blood Clot Charity
The American Blood Clot Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to saving lives through education, prevention, and support groups.
Your donation helps us:
- Develop national awareness campaigns
- Create patient education resources
- Support collaborations
- Advocate for hospital prevention standards
- Provide community outreach programs
Every contribution directly supports our mission to reduce preventable blood clot deaths. Whether you donate, share our resources, or participate in awareness initiatives, you become part of the solution.
Blood clot awareness saves lives. Your support makes it possible.
Our Commitment to Education and Prevention
Our educational resources are designed to:
- Improve recognition of blood clot symptoms
- Promote preventive strategies
- Encourage patient-doctor conversations
- Support survivors and families
Our goal is to increase awareness, establish partnerships, work with healthcare professionals, while working to reduce blood clot deaths.
Together We Can Prevent Blood Clot Deaths
A blood clot can strike suddenly. Awareness, education, and prevention are powerful tools in reducing risk and improving outcomes.
By increasing understanding of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and blood clot symptoms, we can help individuals recognize warning signs early and seek timely care.
The American Blood Clot Association remains committed to leading national awareness efforts as a trusted blood clot charity dedicated to protecting lives.
Join us in raising awareness. Support prevention. Save lives.
Don't become another statistic. Know the signs. Know the symptoms.
We need your help to spread clot, DVT, pulmonary embolism and Factor V awareness in order to change the way people and healthcare professionals think about these life-threatening conditions.
Feel free to join our online support group(social network), volunteer, or set up a fundraising event.
Please consider making a donation today so that we may achieve our goals and reduce the number of deaths per year.
We would love to hear from you, so feel free to call, email, or join us online.
If you would like to send us your survivor story for a blog post on our website or a video of your survivor story, with your permission we will place it on our blog as a post.
Together, we can work towards a future where clots are detected early, treated effectively, and lives are saved. Join the ABCA in their mission and make a difference today.
Our Goal is to Create Awareness & Reduce Deaths Per Year
Awareness Statistics:
- Upwards of 2 Million Americans each year are affected by DVT (Clots in the legs)
- Approximately 300,000 Americans die each year from clots that travel from the leg (DVT) to the lungs (Pulmonary Embolism).
- The number of deaths from blood clots is more than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
- What is the leading cause of preventable hospital deaths in the United States? Blood Clots
- What is the leading cause of maternal death in America? Blood Clots
- 33% of people diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism(a clot that travels to the lungs) will die.
795,000 people have strokes in the United States each year, 137,000 of them die.
Join our Facebook Page or Facebook Support Group
Join our Facebook Page or Facebook Support Group
Don't become another statistic. Know the signs. Know the symptoms.
We need your help to spread clot, DVT, pulmonary embolism and Factor V awareness in order to change the way people and healthcare professionals think about these life-threatening conditions.
Feel free to join our online support group(social network), volunteer, or set up a fundraising event.
Please consider making a donation today so that we may achieve our goals and reduce the number of deaths per year.
We would love to hear from you, so feel free to call, email, or join us online.
If you would like to send us your survivor story for a blog post on our website or a video of your survivor story, with your permission we will place it on our blog as a post.
Together, we can work towards a future where clots are detected early, treated effectively, and lives are saved. Join the ABCA in their mission and make a difference today.