Blood Clots Overview

Blood clots result due to blood hardening or coagulation. A clot can form in the blood vessel or even within the heart. It may remain there and is then known as thrombus. When the thrombus travels from the heart or the blood vessel to another location in the body, it is known as embolus. This disorder is known as embolism. Embolism in the lungs is called pulmonary embolism.

Blood clotting is triggered when the blood is exposed to certain types of substances called thrombogenic substances. Some of these substances include von Willebrand factor and collagen. Blood clots are necessary for preventing bleeding after injury. However, there are some harmful clots that can cause serious damages. Strokes and heart attacks result due to a sudden blood clot in the artery. The clot may form on the cholesterol plaque in the artery of the brain or heart. The plaque may rupture suddenly and release some thrombogenic substances that trigger blood clotting.

The thrombin system and the platelets are two major facets of blood clotting. The platelets are tiny particles that are produced in the bone marrow. When bleeding occurs, they become quite sticky in nature and become activated. They adhere to the blood vessel wall at the bleeding site. Within a few minutes, they form a white mass. The thrombin system has many blood proteins that get activated when there is a bleeding. Due to various chemical reactions, a chemical called fibrin is produced which forms a complex web-like structure. The red blood cells get caught in the web and form a red clot.

Blood clots can be formed in various parts of the body. However, you can identify the condition with warning signs and symptoms. If the blood clot is in the arms or legs, it can lead to swelling or pain, discoloration, redness and a warm feeling in the area. When the clot is in the lungs, the patient may have chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, blue coloration in some parts of the body, coughing up blood, low blood pressure and increased heart rate.

Diagnosis of blood clots can be done in many ways including CAT scan, MRI scan, ultrasound studies of the leg veins or arteries of the neck and head, venograms and angiograms, echocadiogram and electrocardiograms.

On the diagnosis of a blood clot, certain medications are prescribed for stopping the progression and to prevent it from worsening, breaking or moving to another location. Blood thinning medicines like heparin or warfarin are recommended for several months. Most often, patients can return to work within 2-3 days after the treatment.

Abnormal blood clot formation can be prevented by treating with appropriate medications aimed at platelets or the thrombin system. Drugs that are aimed at the thrombin system to prevent the formation of fibrin are heparin, namely low molecular weight heparin. Some drugs are also used for dissolving the fibrin formed. They include urokinase, streptokinase and TPA.

Drugs aimed at platelets include aspirin and diypyramidole for removing the stickiness of the platelets, ticlopidine and clopidrogel for patients who cannot tolerate aspirin, and IIb/IIIa inhibitors for preventing acute clotting after the interventional procedures such as stent placing and angioplasty.

The risk of blood clot can be prevented in a number of ways. Some of these methods include wearing loose clothing and graduated compression stocking, exercising regularly, consuming less salt, including fish in diet, raising arms and legs periodically to enhance the blood flow, quitting smoking and managing your weight.