Haemostasis/ Clotting cascade Flashcards
What is haemostasis?
Arrest of blood loss from damaged vessels
Haemostasis at rest?
Platelets circulate singly and are non-adhesive
Haemostasis during vessel wall injury?
Platelets aggregate, become stabilised by fibrin and arrest bleeding from severed vessels (clotting)
What is thrombosis?
Formation of occlusive thrombi leading to MI, ischaemic stroke.
What 2 factors do platelets release and the effect on these on endothelial and smooth muscle cells?
NO and TXA2
NO is released from platelets and endothelial cells which inhibit platelet activation.
TXA2 activates/ causes smooth muscle constriction
What do factor does endothelial cells release to inhibit platelet activation?
PGI2, prostacyclin
What is the first stage of haemostasis?
Primary haemostasis:
Formation/ aggregation of a platelet plug
Local vasoconstriction
Adhesion stage of primary haemostasis
Damage of blood vessel wall exposes platelets to vWF and collagen in extracellular matrix and adheres/ binds to them
Platelets express adhesion molecules e.g. GP1b which binds to vWF
Also express GPVI and integrin alpha2beta1 which binds to collagen
Activation stage of primary haemostasis
Binding of platelets to collagen and vWF activates platelets causing them to change shape
Platelets release mediators stored in their granules- 5-HT causing vasoconstriction
Synthesis of TXA2 from COX metabolism also causes vasoconstriction + additional platelets to adhere to damaged area and increase size of plug
Further activation of platelets adjacent to the ones being activated
ADP is released causing the receptor change if GPIIb/IIia
Aggregation stage of primary haemostasis
GPIIb/IIIa receptors cross link with fibrinogen acting as a bridge and making the clot more stable
Adjacent platelets stick to each other as a result
Formation of ‘soft platelet plug’
Stages of secondary haemostasis
Initiation/ extrinsic pathway
Amplification/ intrinsic pathway (& propagation)
Intiation/ extrinsic pathway
What activates the extrinsic pathway?
Example of a tissue factor bearing cell?
Extrinsic- activated by substances (TF) extrinsic to the blood which only occurs through vascular injury
Purpose is to create a thrombin burst.
Monocyte/ fibroblast examples of tissue factor bearing cells
(Following damage to the blood vessel, FVII leaves the circulation and comes into contact with TF expressed on tissue-factor bearing cells)
TF combines with FVII —> TF:FVIIa
Activates FX—> FXa
FXa complexes with FV—> FXa:FVa
Activates thrombin FII—> prothrombin FIIa
Prothrombin activates fibrinogen FI — fibrin FIa
Amplification/ intrinsic pathway
(activated by factors intrinsic to the blood)
Activated by thrombin and takes place on activated platelets
Thrombin activates :
FV – platelets release FV from alpha granules so FVa are expressed on the surface
FVIII– thrombin cleaves FVIII and vWF which allows FVIIIa to be expressed on the surface
FXI
FXIII
So overall, more thrombin is produced giving us acute control over the body’s ability so stop blood loss quickly
Propagation stage of the amplification pathway
FIX can be released from tissue factor bearing cells also to form FIXa (Caused by the FXIa)
Remember FXIa is activated by thrombin/ FIIa
FIXa forms a complex with FVIIIa to form a tenase complex
FIXa:FVIIIa
FIXa:FVIIIa converts FX —> FXa
Forms complex FXa:FVa
This produces more thrombin FIIa which converts more fibrinogen FI to fibrin FIa
Fibrin cross links together to form an insoluble clot
What ions/lipid do some of these steps require?
Ca2+ and phospholipids
What are arterial thrombi?
- associated with atherosclerosis
- form at site of vascular injury
- contain a large platelet component
- called ‘white clots’
- pro-phylaxis with ANTI-PLATELET drugs
- biggest cause of MI and 80% of strokes
What are venous thrombi?
- associated with stasis of blood or vascular injury following surgery. trauma
- contains a large fibrin component + platelet component
- called ‘red clots’
- prophylaxis with ANTI-COAGULANT drugs e.g. heparin, warfarin, factor X inhibitors (DOAC’s)
- 3rd cause of CVR death
How might the body try to mitigate against the vulnerable plaque?
By forming a fibrous cap with a lipid rich core over it..
How might cap disruption occur?
Due to an inflammatory event
Fulcrum in thrombosis?
Treatment is a balancing act between trying to treat the clot formation and avoiding the risk of a haemorrhage.
How do antiplatelet drugs work?
Limit the growth of or decrease the risk of arterial thrombosis
Act by inhibiting platelet aggregation
Name some antiplatelet drugs
- aspirin
- P2Y12 receptor antagonists
clopidogrel
prasugrel
ticagrelor
cangrelor - GPIIb- IIIa anatagonists
What does TXA2 do?
Potent platelet agonist
Vasoconstrictor
Mitogen
Product of COX-1
How does aspirin work?
Low dose aspirin causes irreversible inhibition of COX-1
All other NSAIDS are reversible so are not cardioprotective
Why doesn’t low dose aspirin affect the biosynthesis of PGI2?
As the endothelium can continually synthesise COX-2
Action of P2Y12 receptors?
Full platelet aggregation and irreversible clot formation
How does ADP work on P2Y12 receptors?
It amplifies platelet aggregation initiated by P2Y12 and completes aggregation induced by all other platelet agonists
- ADP
- collagen
- thrombin
- TXA2
- adrenaline
- 5-HT
How can aggregation be blocked?
P2Y12 antagonists can block the P2Y12 receptor
P2Y12 is a subtype of the ADP receptors
Give examples of irreversible P2Y12 antagonists.
Clopidogrel and prasugrel