Excessive clot formation obstructs blood flow, which can lead to ischemia and organ failure.
Treatment: When clots have formed and acute treatment is necessary, fibrinolytic (aka, thrombolytic) drugs, such as streptokinase, tissue-type plasmin activator, or urokinase are administered. Thus, fibrinolytic drugs can be life-saving when clots obstruct blood flow in the lungs, myocardium, or the brain.
Risk factors for arterial and venous thrombosis are similar, and include age, surgery, trauma, cancer, and pregnancy (the risk of thromboembolism increases 4-5 fold in pregnant women, and accounts for approximately 15% of maternal death during pregnancy).
Arterial and venous thrombosis are similar in many ways, but can have different mechanisms of pathogenesis.
Arterial thrombosis tends to result from excessive platelet aggregation.
Because arterial thrombosis blocks delivery of oxygenated blood to the organs, including the heart and brain, it can be deadly.
Prevention of arterial thrombosis typically relies upon antiplatelet treatments, such as aspirin or ADP receptor inhibitors that prevent platelet aggregation.
Deep vein thrombosis tends to result from clot formation in the valvular cusps.
Pulmonary embolism, which can block blood flow to the lungs, is a major clinical concern in patients with deep vein thrombosis.
Prevention typically relies on anticoagulants, such as exogenous heparin and warfarin, etc.
