Embolism And Thrombus Flashcards
What is an embolism
When a thrombus breaks off and moves into the blood stream
What is a thrombosis
When there would be a blood clot that would form in the vessels
This can happen in the veins or the artery’s
Normally would be from atherosclerosis
What causes a thrombosis n the arteries
Damage to the endothelium
Aggregation of the platelets (von wilebrands factor and factor 8)
Formation of the clot containing red blood cells and fibrin
What causes a thrombosis in the veins
Increase in the coagulative factors
Would then attract the red blood cells
Would have a clot
Some platelets and Fibrin present
What is the appearance of a thrombus in the artery’s
Pale (platelets)
Low cell count
Lines of zayn (alternating patterns of red blood cells and platelets)
What is the appearance of a thrombosis in the veins
Red
Gelatinous
High cell count (lots of red blood cells)
Soft
What are the outcomes of a thrombus
Lysis
Proliferation
Organisation
Embolism
Recanalization
What is the main type of embolism
pulmonary embolism
Thrombus breaks of in the systemic system, moves to the lungs
What is a massive PE
When blocks 60% of the blood vessel
What is a major PE
A medium sized PE
Leads to shortness of breath and chest pains
What is a minor PE and what would happen if it is reoccurring
A small PE
Individual would normally be asymptomatic
Reoccurring would lead to hypertension
What is a saddle PE
Embolism that would block the branch of the pulmonary artery’s
What are the types of embolism
Fatty and bone marrow
Amniotic fluid
Paradoxical
Gas or air
Atheroma
What is a paradoxical embolism
Comes when would have a septal defect
Small PE so would move through the lungs but goes to the heart
Defect means moves to the left side and through the aorta
What is an atheroma embolism
From atherosclerosis
Fatty deposits released from endothelium rupture
Released to the blood stream
What is a bone marrow embolism
Damage to the bone
Bone marrow contents would then leak outwards
Can then go the blood stream and lead to a blockage
What is an amniotic fluid embolism
Increased pressure during labour can push amniotic fluid into the maternal systemic circulation
Squamous, fetal cells and amniotic fluid would be in the vessels and would lead to the embolism
What is a gas embolism
Gas bubbles or air from things like IV pumps
Gas would not dissolve in the blood (most likely when nitric oxide)
Cause the blockage of the blood flow
Especially bad when happens in the brain
How would you treat an embolism
Aspirins
Warfarins
Heparin
Filters (umbrella structures that would stop the embolism from moving around the body)
What are the predisposing factors that would cause an embolism
Smoking
Pregnancy
Age (slow progressing condition)
Surgery (especially on the lower limbs, causing damage to the vessels)
Burns (damage to the endothelium lining)
Oral contraceptives
What is deep vein thrombosis?
Thrombus (clot) in the deep veins leads to a blockage
Veins ‘pool’ as blood is under high pressure and would be diverted to the other veins
Congestion
Odema (fluid accumulation)
What are the effects of an arterial thrombosis
Ischemia
Infarction
Gangrene
(All would depend on the location of the embolism)
What is Virchows triad for thrombosis formation
Change in the blood flow (more turbulence)
The changes in the endothelium lining (more damaged, that would then allow the platelets to aggregate via VwF)
Change in the blood components (the platelets and the red blood cells)
What can lead to a deep vein thrombosis
Immobility
Bed rest
Post-operative
Oral contraceptives
Severe burns
Pregnancy and post-Partum
What is lysis of the embolism
Depends to the action of plasmin (fibrolysis)
Small embolism
Would have the break down
What is organisation of the thrombosis
When would have the fibrous tissue, capillary’s and the collagen in the blood vessel
Would be like the granulation tissue
What is recanulisation of the thrombus
Would have the new blood vessels come together
Soon could have blood flow through
What is an embolism
When the thrombus would break off (normally from the turbulent blood flow)
Embolism can travel (PE, strokes, to the heart)
What is propagation of the thrombosis
Stagnant blood flow
Progressive spread of the thrombus
(Many new thrombosis formed)
What forms the thrombus in the artery’s
Arterial atherosclerotic plaque
Damage to the endothelium
The platelet aggregation and clot formed
What mainly form the thrombus in the veins
Stagnant blood flow
Build of the coagulation factors
Red blood cells come
Some fibrin (for clot)
What are the steps in the thrombus formation
Atheroma
Turbulent flow
Damage to the endothelium (ulceration)
Platelet aggregation (released VWF)
Thrombus formed
What leads to the aggregation of the platelets for the atherosclerotic plaques
von willebrands factor
Factor 8
