Symptoms of a blood clot.
Recognize these warning signs early — blood clots can become life-threatening within hours if untreated.
Common causes.
Understanding what's causing your symptoms helps guide the right diagnostic tests and treatment.
- ✓ Recent surgery or prolonged immobilization
- ✓ Long flights or extended travel
- ✓ Birth control pills or hormone therapy
- ✓ Cancer — active malignancy raises clot risk significantly
- ✓ Pregnancy or postpartum period
- ✓ Inherited clotting disorders — Factor V Leiden, prothrombin mutation
- ✓ Smoking and obesity
Don't wait. Come now if…
- ▸Sudden leg swelling and pain — especially after surgery or travel
- ▸Unexplained shortness of breath after travel or surgery
- ▸Chest pain that worsens with breathing
- ▸Coughing up blood
- ▸Calf pain or swelling after immobilization or long travel
- ▸Known clotting disorder with new or worsening symptoms
Not sure? Call us.
Our nurses can help you decide.
Treatments we offer.
Our Fort Worth ER is fully equipped to diagnose and treat DVT and pulmonary embolism 24/7.
D-dimer & lab workup
Highly sensitive blood test to screen for clot activity — negative D-dimer reliably rules out PE in low-risk patients.
Doppler ultrasound
On-site bedside Doppler to confirm or rule out deep vein thrombosis in the leg — fast, no radiation.
CT pulmonary angiography
Definitive imaging to confirm pulmonary embolism — results available within minutes of the scan.
Anticoagulation therapy
Heparin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) started immediately on confirmed diagnosis to stop the clot from growing.
Thrombolytics for massive PE
Clot-busting medications administered when PE causes hemodynamic instability or cardiac arrest.
Specialist follow-up
Coordination with hematology and primary care for long-term anticoagulation management and clotting disorder workup.
Why ER Of Fort Worth for blood clots.
Average wait under 10 min
Suspected PE and DVT are triaged with urgency — you are brought back quickly and workup starts immediately.
Board-certified ER physicians
Every patient is evaluated by an emergency-medicine-trained physician, 24/7. Never a mid-level alone.
On-site imaging & labs
Doppler ultrasound, CT angiography, D-dimer and full lab — definitive diagnosis in one visit, under two hours.
All major insurance
BCBS, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Humana, Medicare, Tricare and more. See full list →
Frequently asked questions.
How fast can a blood clot be diagnosed?
Most patients have a definitive diagnosis within 1–2 hours of arrival — our on-site Doppler ultrasound, CT angiography, and D-dimer lab allow a complete workup in a single visit.
Will I be admitted for a blood clot?
Many patients with DVT can be safely treated as outpatients with oral blood thinners and close follow-up. Pulmonary embolism more often requires hospital admission for monitoring, especially if it affects blood pressure or oxygen levels.
How long do I need blood thinners?
Typically 3–6 months for a first provoked clot, and sometimes indefinitely for unprovoked clots, recurrent clots, or patients with inherited clotting disorders. Your follow-up provider will guide the duration.
Can blood clots be deadly?
Yes — pulmonary embolism is one of the most common causes of preventable death in hospitalized patients, and it affects people outside the hospital too. Quick diagnosis and treatment saves lives, which is why we take any suspected clot seriously.
Should I be checked for an inherited clotting disorder?
Often yes — especially for unprovoked clots, clots at a young age, recurrent clots, or a strong family history. We will refer you to hematology for a full thrombophilia workup.
Blood clot care across North Texas.
We serve patients with DVT and pulmonary embolism from Fort Worth and surrounding communities including: