Background: Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) refers to the formation of a thrombus, which is a blood clot, in a deep vein. Clot is usually formed in an inflamed vein, also known as thrombophlebitis. Common sites for DVT are femoral vein or the popliteal vein of the leg. DVT can lead to Pulmonary Embolism (PE), which is a serious complication of DVT. It occurs, if the clot dislodges and reaches the lungs. PE can be life threatening and therefore becomes a medical emergency.

Methods: Electronic database was searched for related articles published online till 2018. Following key words were used ‘DVT’, ‘D dimer’, ‘thrombophlebitis’, ‘thrombus’, ‘pulmonary embolism’, ‘deep vein thrombosis’. Studies relevant to our title were finally selected and those which failed to provide any detail were excluded from review.

Result: DVT affects predominantly elderly population, with slight inclination towards male sex. Clinical picture of DVT is affected by the extent of obstruction to venous outflow and degree of inflammation of the vessel wall. Most of the times it is asymptomatic. Pretest probability scores in an algorithm along with D dimer testing and compression ultrasonography are used to make the diagnosis.

Conclusion: DVT is a clinically entity with potential risk, as it can lead to pulmonary embolism. Therefore, it needs to be diagnosed as soon as possible, followed by quick intervention.