DVTPE Flashcards
Stasis
Alterations in normal blood flow
Stasis Examples
Turbulence in blood flow, blood stasis, heart valve disorders (e.g. Mitral stenosis) and cardiac regurgitation
Vessel Injury
Injuries and/or trauma to the endothelium; exacerbated by hypertension
Hypercoagulability
Alterations in the blood dynamics that favors blood clotting
Hypercoagulability Examples
Age, smoking status, obesity, decreased physical activities, drugs, pregnancy, and cancer
Virchow’s Triad
Blood Stasis, Vessel Injury, and Hypercoagulability
Venous (red) Clots
- Low pressure, typically due to blood stasis
- Venous clot
- Fibrin mediated
- Red clot
Arterial (white) Clots
- High pressure, typically due to underlying vessel disease
- Arterial clots
- Platelets predominate
- White clot
Venous Thrombosis Types
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) Pulmonary Embolism (PE) portal vein thrombosis renal vein thrombosis others
Venous Thrombosis Mediation
Clotting factor mediated
Arterial Thrombosis Types
Ischemic Stroke Atrial arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation) --> Can develop into IS Myocardial Infarction Heart valve abnormalities others
Arterial Thrombosis Mediation
Platelet activation mediated
Venous Thromboembolism/ DVT
Formation of a blood clot within a deep vein
Venous Thromboembolism/ DVT Signs
Swelling, pain, and redness near affected area
Venous Thromboembolism/ DVT Prevalence
Up to 2 million/ year
Associated with hospital stays, immobility, recovery periods, and fracture
Venous Thromboembolism/ DVT Risks
Age, obesity, pregnancy medications (estrogen in OCP’s)
Venous Clots: Superficial Thrombophlebitis (vericose veins)
Inflammation in vein that are on top of muscle
Pain, clotting occurs locally (clots do not travel away from site)
Venous Clots: Deep Vein Thrombosis
Tucked underneath the muscles, more blood flow
Pulmonary Emboli: venous clot origin
Blockage of the pulmonary artery or one of its branches when a deep vein clot migrates through the heart
PE outcome
Severe cases can lead to pulmonary insufficiency, circulatory collapse, and sudden death (200,000 deaths/ year)
DVT Signs and Symptoms
Leg pain, warmth, swelling, redness, tenderness, discoloration, edema
Most often in lower extremities
PE Signs and Symptoms
Sudden onset of unexplained dyspnea (labored breathing) and cough, tachypnea (abnormal, rapid breathing), chest pain, anxiety, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), circulatory collapse (hypotension, syncope, coma), death
Venothromboembolism (DVT and PE) Treatment
- Prophylactic following surgery or inactivity: resume some movement of lower extremities, maintain healthy lifestyle, and lose weight
- Oral anticoagulants (OAC): Warfarin (Coumadin), Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Rivaroxaban (Xarelto), etc.
- Compression Stockings
A Fib and Risk of Stroke
Approximately 15% of all strokes cause by AF
3-5x increased risk of stroke with AF
AF can be asymptomatic and stroke risk still present
Assess risk to determine prophylactic drug therapy (CHADS2 score)