Venous Thrombosis And Pulmonary Embolism Flashcards
Thrombosis
Pathological clot formation within a blood vessel
Embolism
Part of a clot breaks off and travels through circulation until obstructed by vessels of smaller diameter
What colour are venous thrombi
Red
What colour are arterial thrombi
White - platelets and fibrin, few RBCs
Are venous or arterial thrombi more common
Venous
Deep vein thrombosis
Thrombus formed in deep vein
Where does a distal deep vein thrombosis form
Calf veins
Where does a proximal deep vein thrombosis form
Popliteal vein or above
What I’d the most common DVP site
Popliteal vein
Pulmonary embolism
Dislodged thrombus migrating to pulmonary vasculature
Embolus
Dislodged thrombus
How does leg muscle contraction aid venous return from legs
Muscle contraction squeezes vein opening proximal valve and pushing blood to heart
What happens if leg muscles don’t contract for a prolonged period
Valves remain closed and blood between them becomes stagnant, causing clotting above and below valved
What can dislodge a clot after a period of extended immobility
Muscle contraction
What is the most common route a clot may take to the brain
Through patent foramen ovale
Why do emboli often get stuck in pulmonary arteries
Arteries get smaller as they branch, before this arteries as getting bigger as the clot moves centrally
Saddle embolism
Large pulmonary embolus gets stuck in bifurcation of pulmonary trunk
Factors in Virchow’s triad
Endothelial injury
Stasis or turbulence of blood flow
Blood hypercoagulability
How does flowing blood prevent platelet adhesion to wall and clotting
Stimulates endothelium to release anticoagulants inc NO and prostacyclin
Risk factors for decr blood flow in deep veins
Immobilisation
Long haul flights
Obesity
Sickle cell disease
What does heparin sulphate and what does it do
Sulphide containing polysaccharide on luminal surface of endothelial cells
Form feathery projections into blood vessel lumen to prevent platelet adhesion
What can cause vessel wall damage
Chronic inflammatory disease
Smoking
Obesity
Diabetes
How can chronic inflammatory disease increase clot formation
Damage endothelial wall and decr amount of attached heparin
What can cause hypercoagulability
Antithrombin III deficiency
Protein C deficiency/resistance
Protein S deficiency/resistance
What is the most common DVT/PE risk in younger people
Factor V Leiden mutation - causes resistance to activated protein C
Thromboembolism risk factors
Pregnancy
Prolonged immobilisation
Previous VTE
Contraceptive pill
Long haul travel
Cancer
Heart failure
Obesity
Surgery
HRT
Thrombophilia
Severe burns
Age
How does pregnancy increase thromboembolism risk
Coagulant factor production increases in liver