*DVT + PE Flashcards
What is a thrombus?
A blood clot that forms in the veins
What is an embolus?
Anything that passes through the blood vessels until it reaches a vessel that is too small to let it pass
What is a thromboembolus?
obstruction of a blood vessel by a blood clot that has become dislodged from another site in the circulation
What is a DVT?
Formation of thrombi within the lumen of the vessels that make up the deep venous system
What is a distal vein thrombosis?
A DVT of the calves
What is a proximal vein thrombosis?
DVT of the popliteal vein or the femoral vein
What is venous thromboembolis? (VTE)
A collective name used to describe both a DVT and a PE
What is Virchow’s triad?
Endothelial injury
Circulatory stasis
Hyper-coagulable state
(triad of conditions that predispose to thrombus formation)
What are the 4 things that cause endothelial injury?
Venous disorders
Venous valvular damage
Trauma or surgery
Indwelling catheters
What are the 4 things that cause circulatory status?
Left ventricular dysfunction
Immobility or paralysis
Venous insufficiency or varicose veins
Venous obstruction from tumour, obesity or pregnancy
What are the 6 things that can cause a hyper coagulable state?
Malignancy Pregnancy and peripartum period Oestrogen therapy IBD Sepsis Thrombophilia
What are 6 exposing risk factors (acute conditions or trauma, surgery) that are risk factors for VTE?
Surgery Trauma Acute medical illness Acute heart failure Acute respiratory failure Centra venous catheterisation
What are the 11 predisposing risk factors (Patient characteristics) that are risk factors for VTE?
History of VTE Chronic heart failure Advanced age Varicose veins Obesity Immobility or paresis Myeloproliferative disorders Pregnancy/ permpartum period Inherited or acquired thrombophilia Hormone therapies Renal insufficiency
What are the 2 overlapping exposing and predisposing risk factors for VTE?
Cancer
Inflammatory diseases
What is an unprovoked VTE?
An idiopathic VTE - there are no identifiable causes for it (compared to a provoked VTE)
Do provoked or unprovoked VTE have a higher recurrence rate?
Unprovoked
What is a venous blood clot mainly composed of? (2)
RBCs
Fibrin
What are the known consequences of a VTE?
Fatal PE Risk of recurrent VTE Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) Reduced quality of life
How common is post thrombotic syndrome?
Occurs in nearly one-third of patients within 5 years after idiopathic DVT (common)
What are the symptoms/ signs of post thrombotic syndrome?
Pain Oedema Hyperpigmentation Eczema Varicose collateral veins Venous ulceration (thought to be associated with DVT-induced damage to valves in the deep veins and valvular reflex leading to venous hypertension)