How did Jalen Hurts’ blood clot get worse? A Harvard professor explains

How did Jalen Hurts' blood clot obtain worse? A Harvard professor explains.

Key points

• USA TODAY Sports' Chris Bumbaca breaks down Jalen Hurts' season-ending absence due to blood clots and what it means for the Eagles moving forward.
• Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' blood clotting progressed into deep-vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, according to a statement published Monday, Oct.
• Though Lynn afterwards disputed that, 19 that Hurts did not sleep before playing against the Jaguars.
• Hurts was initially diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his left calf, the team confirmed Oct.
• "Some cases are relatively low risk and require only symptomatic treatment, while others warrant anticoagulation because of their extent, location, or potential for progression, " Patell wrote.

How did Jalen Hurts' blood clot obtain worse? A Harvard professor explains. Chris Bumbaca USA TODAY. Jalen Hurts' season could end after serious blood clot diagnosis.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' blood clotting progressed into deep-vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, according to a statement published Monday, Oct. 19, by the team and Hurts' agent Nicole Lynn.

Hurts was initially diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his left calf, the team confirmed Oct. 15. Superficial blood clots are generally less dangerous than deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), but they are not considered harmless, according to Dr. Rushad Patell, the Director of Clinical and Translational Research of Benign Hematology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

It's additionally feasible, according to Patell, for a superficial clot to progress into a deep-vein thrombosis.

Superficial blood clots "can extend into the deep venous system, particularly when they are extensive (involve longer segments of the veins) or located close to where the superficial and deep veins connect, " Patell wrote to USA TODAY Sports in an email Oct. 15.

"They can also occur alongside DVT, which carries a risk of pulmonary embolism, which is when a clot migrates to the lungs, a potentially life-threatening complication."

That is what developed in Hurts' case after he played Oct. 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, England, despite an initial ultrasound first revealing the clot.

"Some cases are relatively low risk and require only symptomatic treatment, while others warrant anticoagulation because of their extent, location, or potential for progression, " Patell wrote. What leads to a blood clot diagnosis change.

Repeat imaging is often necessary and can sometimes identify changes that lead clinicians to reconsider the initial management strategy. Furter testing on Huts additionally disclosed bilateral pulmonary emboli – meaning the quarterback has blood clots in both lungs.

Decisions regarding athletic participation are individualized and depend on a number of factors, including symptoms, clot characteristics, and whether anticoagulation medication – blood thinners – is required. Hurts is now on blood thinners, according to the Oct. 19 statement, and is projected to produce a full recovery. "His prognosis is good, " the statement read.

Dr. Jordan Schaefer, a hematologist at the University of Michigan Health System and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, remarked doctors are focused on the length of the clot and which vein is affected. Clots larger than five centimeters in length or those closer to deep-vein system require more aggressive treatment, Schaefer remarked.

"A lot of times, what we're doing, is kind of after residents closely over time. It's not like a one-time visit and then you're done. It's often reassessment in how you're feeling and a physical assessment of how the leg looks. Is that swelling and redness and exam getting better?" Blood clot symptoms and risks.

All blood clots carry the risk of breaking loose and moving toward the lungs and heart. An individual could have both at same time and ultrasounds can be applied to discover either type of clot. Schaefer remarked superficial clots still matter, not only as of the symptoms, but 10 percent of patients experience the clot moving to the deep-vein system.

Deep-vein thrombosis, which occurs in deeper veins in legs, is considered more dangerous since the clot is more probable to break loose and travel to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. It is potentially fatal.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero documented Oct. Though Lynn afterwards disputed that, 19 that Hurts did not sleep before playing against the Jaguars.

"After initially being diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in London, doctors told him not to sleep as a precaution, so he had been awake for roughly 36 hours when he started against the Jaguars, throwing for 220 yards and a TD, " Pellissero posted on social media.

For context, a lack of sleep and immobility can additionally contribute to lack of blood flow. It is a contributing factor in clotting. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around how did Jalen Hurts blood clot get worse? A Harvard professor explains point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.