Thrombosis, Embolism and Infarction Flashcards
Define thrombosis
- A thrombus is a solidification of blood contents that forms within the vascular system during life
- Thrombosis is a pathological process. It denotes the formation of a thrombus within the noninterupted vascular system
What are the three factors that make up Virchow’s triad in the pathogenesis of thrombosis?
Endothelial injury
Hypercoagulability
Abnormal blood flow
Describe the role of endothelial injury in the pathogenesis of thrombosis
Important in the formation of thrombi in
• Heart and Arteries
Examples of thrombi developed in:
• Left ventricle at sites of myocardial infarction
• On ulcerated plaques in advanced atherosclerosis
• Injured endocardium (cardiac surgery, myocarditis)
• Valves with inflammatory valve disease, and prosthetic valves
What are potential bases of endothelial injury other than MI, plaques, physical injury or inflammatory valve disease?
- Radiation injury
- Chemical agents: exogenous and endogenous
- Bacterial toxins or endotoxins
- Immunologic injuries
- Neoplastic involvement
What are the platelets role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis?
After injury to a vessel, platelets undergo three important reactions:
– Adhesion
– Secretion (release reaction)
– Aggregation (Platelet activation)
Describe the formation of a thrombus due to endothelial injury in 4 steps
A. Vasoconstriction due to reflex as endothelia released at site of injury
B. Primary hemostasis
C. Secondary hemostasis
D. Thrombus and antithrombotic events
What occurs in primary hemostasis?
- Platelet adhesion to damaged basement membrane with vWF present
- Shape change to fit more smoothly with artery wall
- Granule release (ADP, TXA2)
- Recruitment of more platelets
- Aggregation (hemostatic plug formed on collagen)
What annoying abbreviations are present in primary hemostasis?
ADP = Adenosine diphosphate vWF = von Willebrand factor TXA2 = Thromboxane A2 Pf4 = Platelet factor 4
What is a deficiency in von Willebrand’s factor called?
von Willerbrand’s disease
What does a deficiency in glycoprotein Ib cause?
Bernard-soulier syndrome
What does a deficiency in glycoprotein Ib -IIIa complex cause?
Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia
What occurs in secondary hemostasis?
1 Tissue factor is released from artery wall
2 Phospholipid complex expression occurs in platelets
3 Thrombin activated
4 Thus Fibrin polymerisation occurs which binds platelets with fibrin
What occurs in thrombus and antithrombotic events?
Release of
t-PA (fibrinolysis)
Thrombomodulin (blocks coagulation cascade)
Now within the forming thrombus there can be trapped neutrophils and blood cells
It is surrounded by polymerised fibrin
How do alterations to normal blood flow play a role in the pathogenesis of thrombosis?
Turbulence contributes to the development of
• Arterial and cardiac thrombi
Stasis contributes to
• Venous thrombosis
What do turbulence and stasis of blood flow do?
– Disrupt laminar flow
– Prevent the dilution of coagulation factors
– Retard the inflow of inhibitors of clotting factors
– Promote endothelial cell activation
Define hypercoagulability
• Can be defined as an alternation of the blood coagulation mechanism that in some way predisposes thrombosis.
What are the two types of hypercoagulability in the pathogenesis of thrombosis?
Primary (genetic)
Secondary (acquired)
What role does hyper coagulability play in the pathogenesis of thrombosis?
• Primary (genetic)
» Mutation in the factor V gene = Leiden mutation » Antithrombin III deficiency
» Protein C and S deficinecy
• Secondary (acquired):
» High risk: bed rest (immobilisation). MI, Tissue damage, CA,
prosthetic valves, DIC
» Lower risk: AF, cardiomyopathy, nephrotic syndrome, oral contraceptive, sickle cell anaemia, smoking
Where may thrombi occur?
Thrombi may occur anywhere in the cardiovascular system.
What are the three types of morphology of thrombi?
- Mural thrombi
- Arterial thrombi
- Venous thrombosis (phlebothrombosis)
What is a mural thrombi?
– Applied to one wall of underlying structure, occur in the capacious lumina of the heart chambers and aorta
What is an arterial thrombi?
• Usuallyocclusive • Maybemural • Frequentinthese arteries: – Coronary – Cerebral – Femoral • Grey-white and friable