Diagnosing DVT: Clinical Pearls for Challenging Presentations

Deep vein thrombosis often presents classically: unilateral leg swelling, pain, warmth. But what about when it doesn't? What about the patient whose only complaint is syncope, with no leg symptoms whatsoever?

These atypical presentations are where DVT diagnoses get missed—and where patients suffer the consequences of delayed recognition. The difference between catching DVT early and missing it entirely often comes down to one thing: the quality of your history.

In this segment, Dr. Kabiul Haque shares a compelling case from his emergency department practice that illustrates how easily DVT can be missed when presentations are atypical, and more importantly, what questions you need to ask to catch it.

In this segment, Dr. Haque covers:

• A real case of massive PE presenting as isolated syncope
• The critical history questions that led to diagnosis
• Classic versus atypical DVT presentations
• Comprehensive risk factor assessment for VTE
• Why missing DVT has serious consequences for patients and clinicians