BRYAN, Texas (KBTX) - Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs, stemming from a calf injury he played through in early October. The diagnosis is putting a spotlight on how these clots form and what warning signs people should watch for at home. Professor Robert Carpenter of the Texas A&M College of Medicine explains.
Clotting is a normal, necessary function — it’s what keeps a small cut or nosebleed from causing serious blood loss. But sometimes the process goes wrong. “That clotting process becomes erratic. It becomes inappropriate,” Carpenter said. A clot forms inside a vessel, usually a vein, blocking blood from draining back to the heart. The result: swelling, pain and potential tissue damage in the affected limb.
Carpenter noted a clot like this is different from a brain aneurysm. Arteries carry blood to tissue; veins drain it back. Veins in the legs are especially prone to clotting because blood moves slower there, particularly during long periods of inactivity like a car ride or flight. Other causes include cancer and genetic predispositions — though Carpenter said those don’t appear to apply to Hurts, a longtime elite athlete. He pointed instead to trauma, such as a hit to the leg, as a more likely trigger. That lines up with Hurts’ case: he was cleated in the calf during an Oct. 4 game, later developed a superficial clot that was discovered during a London trip, and continued playing before further testing revealed the more serious diagnosis.
Superficial clots are usually just painful, Carpenter said, but deeper clots in the legs or arms can break loose, travel to the heart, and lodge in the lungs — a pulmonary embolism. “That embolus that goes to the lung can actually block blood flow into the lung and can be lethal in some instances,” he said. Hurts was ultimately diagnosed with bilateral pulmonary emboli, or clots in both lungs, and is being treated with blood thinners.
Carpenter urged people to watch for swelling, new or unusual pain, and discoloration in a limb — especially with holiday travel approaching. “Really need to get evaluated by your doctor as soon as possible,” he said. Doctors typically diagnose clots with an ultrasound, then treat them with blood thinners or clot-dissolving medication.
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