Blood clot alliance pushes facts after Jalen Hurts reports spark questions

The National Blood Clot Alliance is using the attention around Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts to clear up common myths about superficial vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. The group says prompt evaluation matters because blood clots can be hidden, dangerous and misunderstood.

Why it matters: - Blood clots affect as many as 900,000 Americans a year and can kill as many as 100,000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. - Public confusion can delay care for conditions that can become life-threatening. - The National Blood Clot Alliance is trying to separate general medical facts from speculation tied to Jalen Hurts reports.

What happened: - The National Blood Clot Alliance issued educational guidance after news coverage about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts drew national attention to superficial vein thrombosis, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. - The organization said it is not involved in Hurts’ care and is not offering opinions about his diagnosis, treatment, prognosis or the cause of any reported condition. - Leslie Lake, volunteer president of the National Blood Clot Alliance, said misinformation spreads quickly when a high-profile blood clot diagnosis makes headlines.

The details: - Blood clots can form in the superficial or deep venous systems. - A superficial vein thrombosis forms in a vein close to the skin’s surface. - A deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, forms in a deeper vein, typically in the leg. - DVT carries a higher risk than superficial vein thrombosis of causing a pulmonary embolism, which can happen when part of a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs. - A bilateral pulmonary embolism involves pulmonary arteries in both lungs. - Being able to walk, exercise or perform normal activities does not rule out a blood clot. - Blood clots may cause few or no immediate symptoms, which can make them dangerous. - Pain, swelling and shortness of breath can be mistaken for muscle strain or fatigue. - Superficial vein thrombosis still requires medical evaluation and follow-up. - In some patients, superficial vein thrombosis can occur at the same time as a DVT or extend into the deep venous system. - Terms like “movement” are not precise medical descriptions and can mean different things depending on the clinical and imaging context. - Follow-up imaging may show changes in a clot’s size, location or extent that lead clinicians to reassess risk and treatment. - Blood clots can affect people of different ages and activity levels. - Recognized risk factors include trauma, long-distance travel, prolonged immobility, surgery, pregnancy, certain medications, cancer and inherited or acquired clotting disorders. - Some people have multiple risk factors, while others have no single clear cause. - Sleep deprivation alone is not a well-established direct cause of blood clots. - Available evidence does not establish poor sleep as an independent direct cause of DVT or PE. - The alliance urges people with symptoms to seek immediate medical evaluation. - Its STOP the CLOT warning signs are swelling in the leg, tenderness or leg cramps, shortness of breath, passing out, chest pain or back pain when breathing, leg discoloration, a racing heart and calling 911. - Dr. Jordan K. Schaefer, associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan and incoming chair of the alliance’s Council of Emerging Researchers in Thrombosis, said a person’s age, athletic ability or ability to stay active does not rule out a blood clot. - Schaefer said new or concerning symptoms should be evaluated by a health care professional. - Schaefer has not evaluated Hurts and was speaking generally about blood clots. - Lake said she survived a bilateral pulmonary embolism herself and knows how quickly a blood clot can become life-threatening.

Between the lines: - The release is aimed at correcting a common public mistake: assuming activity level, youth or apparent wellness means blood-clot risk is low. - The alliance is also pushing back on speculation, especially around phrases such as “movement,” which can be misunderstood outside a medical setting. - The message is as much about diagnosis discipline as it is about awareness: symptoms and imaging matter more than public assumptions.

What's next: - The National Blood Clot Alliance is directing people to stoptheclot.org for education, resources and patient support. - The organization says it will continue public education, patient support, research and advocacy around DVT and PE. - The broader conversation around Hurts may keep blood-clot awareness in the public eye, but the group says individual cases should be left to treating clinicians.

The bottom line: - Blood clots are common, serious and easy to misunderstand, and the safest move is to treat warning signs as urgent and get medical evaluation quickly.