PP 5 Thrombosis + Embolism Flashcards
Thrombosis defintion
Formation of solid mass of blood within the circulatory system
Thrombus definition
Solid mass of blood within circulatory system
Clot defintion
Mass of blood outside vessel wall
Thrombus vs clot
Thrombus is within circulatory system
Clot is outside circulatory system
What is Virchow’s triad?
Thrombus form when there’s abnormalities in:
- vascular wall
- blood flow
- blood components
What can cause damage to vascular system?
Atheroma
Inflammation - vasculitis
Direct injury
Damage to heart
Atheroma definition
Degeneration of arteries due to fatty deposition
What causes change to blood flow?
Stasis
Turbulent blood flow
Stasis in blood meaning
Slowing of blood
Causes of blood stasis
Narrowing of vessels
Low BP
Immobility
Causes of turbulent blood flow
Defects in walls + heart valves
Atrial fibrillation
Hypercoagulable state of blood meaning
Sticky blood
Who is at risk of hypercoagulable blood?
Smokers
Pregnancy + post-partum
Trauma + burns
Post-operative patients
Genetic diseases e.g anti thrombin III deficiency
Appearance of an atrial thrombus
Pale
Granular
Lower cell content
Lines of Zahn
Appearance of a venous thrombus
Deep red
Soft
Gelatinous
Higher cell content
Why are lines of Zahn present in arterial thrombi but not venous?
There is a degree of shielding by valves in veins
Describe the formation of thrombus
1- platelets are activated
2- platelets aggregate + bind together by fibrin
3- RBCs get trapped
4- thrombus formed
Role of plasmin
Degrades fibrin
Dissolves thrombus
What is a breakdown product of fibrin?
D-dimers
What can D-diners be detected in the blood for?
Indicate clotting occurring
What converts plasminogen to plasmin/
tPA tissue plasminogen activator
What breaksdown fibrin?
Plasmin
List possible outcomes of thrombosis
Lysis
Propagation
Organisation
Recanalisation
Embolism
What process restores complete blood flow after thrombosis?
Lysis
What is lysis of thrombosis?
Breakdown of thrombus
What type thrombi does lysis occur to?
Small ones
What is propagation of thrombus?
Spread of thrombosis
What is organisation of thrombus?
In growth of fibroblasts + capillaries
Lumen remains obstructed