Celebrities Who Suffered Blood Clots
Blood clots can be defined as blood present in a semi-solid state. If the blood clot is stationary it’s known as a thrombosis, whereas a traveling blood clot is called an embolism. Traveling blood clots can be extremely dangerous and quickly become a medical emergency if they reach one’s lungs or heart.
In this article, we are going to have a look at some famous personalities who have suffered from blood clots in their lifetime.
Serena Willams
One of the best tennis players this world has seen, Serena Williams experienced a very close call after a number of clots were found in her lungs (known as pulmonary embolism). The cause was identified to be a pair of foot surgeries and long flight hours which resulted in a clot formation in her leg (known as deep vein thrombosis). This clot then traveled up to her lungs and restricted blood flow endangering her life.
Hillary Clinton
In 2012, Hillary Clinton (then U.S. secretary of state) suffered a concussion after she fainted and hit her head due to dehydration from a stomach virus. A month later, during her CT-Scan the doctors located a blood clot lodged between her skull and right ear. Luckily for Clinton, the clot was discovered before it could cause any harm. The cause was thought to be severe dehydration, and the clot dissolved by using blood thinners. Hillary, in 2014, confided that she might need to take blood thinners for life after that incident.
David Bloom
The former Weekend Today Co-anchor and NBC correspondent David Bloom (39) faced untimely demise on the 6th of April, 2003 while covering the war in Iraq. He suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism when a DVT traveled from his leg to his lungs. The clot was most likely formed because Bloom had to sit in cramped armored vehicles with minimal movement. Later it was discovered that he also suffered from factor v Leiden, a blood clotting disorder which increases the chances of a DVT.
Nick Cannon
In February 2012. Nick Cannon, the radio host, actor, and husband to Mariah Carey quit his daily radio show because of another major health setback. Nick, who was already recovering from a kidney failure which took place in January, was now diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs and an enlarged heart. It’s known that African-American men of Nick’s age group are 14 times more likely to face kidney failure than Caucasian men due to high blood pressure. His previous condition made him more prone to having blood clots.
Garry Shandling
Garry Shandling (66), a comedian and the star of TV’s The Larry Sanders Show, was unlucky as the blood clot reached his heart and he succumbed to Pulmonary embolism on 24th March 2016. He complained of leg pain, which was due to a DVT, a day before his death and was advised by his friend to visit the hospital. The next day, he experienced shortness of breath and excessive pain. He called 911 but the help got there a little too late.
NeNe Leakes
The actor was diagnosed with blood clots in her lungs after she complained of pain and shortness of breath, in 2013. Her frequent cross country flights were pegged down to be the causing factor.
John McCain
John McCain was a U.S. senator and a former presidential nominee. In July 2017 he had to undergo surgery to remove a blood clot over his left eye. Days later, it was discovered that the clot was a result of an aggressive brain cancer glioblastoma to which he succumbed in August 2018.
Regis Philbin
The 78-year-old co-host of the Live! With Regis and Kelly talk show had a blood clot in his calf removed in 2010 as it made it difficult for him to walk. Prior to this surgery, he had a hip replacement surgery and a triple heart bypass surgery in 2007 which may have lead to him forming a DVT.
Heavy D
Rapper and actor Heavy D (44) died of a pulmonary embolism, DVT and arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The cause of his death appeared to be a DVT that reached his lung and caused the PE. The DVT may have been caused by long flight hours when he was traveling home from London. He weighed 344 pounds, and obesity is reasoned to be one of the leading causes of blood clot formations.
Dennis Farina
Dennis (69) known for his portrayal of a detective on TV’s Law and Order died of a PE in 2013. His cardiologist confirmed that he was suffering from lung cancer which had returned.
Chris Bosh
The Miami Heat forward had to cut his 2015 season short due to the formation of life-threatening blood clots in his lungs. And as it is very common with clots, the re occurrence happened only a year after and ended the star’s career. The DVT which struck him the next year was treated with blood thinners but it isn’t advisable to play sports such as basketball while you are on such medication as any minor injury can become a major concern. The superstar had to leave the league at just 33 years of age.
Jerome Kersey
Retired Portland Trail Blazers player, Jerome died when a blood clot from his leg traveled up and blocked a blood vessel in his lungs. The reason for the clot was determined to be a knee surgery he underwent just a few days prior.
Zsa Zsa Gabor
This Hungarian born actress had her hips replaced in 2010 that apparently caused blood clots in her upper body which had to be removed after which she was once again hospitalized due to the presence of leg clots in her legs. Gabor suffered a car accident in 2012 and a stroke in 2015. Gabor (99) died because of blood clots in her arteries.
Dick Cheney
The former vice president developed a DVT in his lower left leg and had to be treated with blood thinners. The DVT formed as a result of long flight hours, i.e., 65 hours in 9 days.
Brian Vickers
The NASCAR driver has been plagued many times by the curse of blood clots disrupting his entire career. The first clot happened in 2010, where Brian had a close call with a PE. Since then he faced blood clots in 2013 (due to an ankle injury) and in 2015. Since he has to be on blood thinners, it makes it impossible for him to continue racing as a single injury could be fatal for him.