DVT and Deep breathing exercises

[garaybeh]

hi all

dose anyone know if there is any contraindication for deep breathing exercise while having dvt?

cause i think that deep breathing creates a negative pressure in the chest which empties the major vines like the vena cava and that would result to the movement of the thrombus in the vain.

pleas help

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

No, there is no contraindication to deep breathing exercises when someone has a DVT. The DVT is lodged in the leg. You do not want the patient doing any exercise of the leg that would cause the thrombosis to begin moving. There are no thrombi in the lungs, the patient is probably on anticoagulants, they are probably on ordered bed rest, so have the patient deep breathe to get the secretions moving up and out of those lungs or pneumonia is going to become a secondary problem!

[garaybeh]

thank you very much