Thrombosis

How Thrombosis Develops

Thrombosis — a common and potentially life-threatening condition

While haemostasis is necessary for survival, the pathological formation of a blood clot, or thrombosis, poses significant health risks. Thrombosis plays a role in heart attack, ischaemic stroke, cardioembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), and venous thromboembolism (VTE).^{5, 8, 18}

In addition to posing a risk of a life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE), VTE also can lead to long-term complications. These potential complications include post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) and pulmonary hypertension.⁸ Thromboprophylaxis in patients at high risk, rather than treatment of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after it develops, is the optimal approach to minimising the risk of these complications.

VTE: a frequent complication of major orthopaedic surgery

VTE is the most frequent serious complication following hip and knee replacement surgery. It is the most common cause for rehospitalisation in this patient group.^{3, 19}

DVT: when thrombosis develops in a vein

The most common type of VTE is deep vein thrombosis (DVT), occurring in veins deep within the muscles of the leg and pelvis. Some of the recognised factors that increase the risk of DVT include major surgery (such as hip or knee replacement), cancer, inherited abnormalities in the blood-borne proteins involved in coagulation, and hospitalisation for a major medical illness.²⁰

Deep vein thrombosis

PE: a life-threatening complication of DVT

Thromboembolism occurs when part or all of a thrombus breaks away from the blood vessel wall. This clot (now called an embolus) is then carried in the direction of blood flow. Patients with DVT are at risk of PE, a life-threatening event. In Europe, PE causes more than half a million deaths each year.¹² This is more than twice the number of people who die from AIDS, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and road traffic accidents combined.²¹

Pulmonary embolus

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Thrombosis and AF

AF is the most common arrhythmia seen in clinical practice.²² Without appropriate anticoagulant treatment, most patients with AF are at increased risk of cardioembolic stroke.

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Thrombosis and coronary artery disease

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in industrialised countries. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common form of cardiovascular disease. In CAD, atherosclerosis damages the coronary artery wall, predisposing to thrombus formation. The symptoms and severity of acute coronary syndromes (unstable angina and myocardial infarction) vary depending on the degree to which thrombi occlude the coronary arteries.^{5, 23, 24}

Coronary thrombosis