Blood clots have the potential to cause a very serious health crisis. This blurb sketches out that lurking possibility.
The condition of a thrombus inside a blood vessel is referred to as thrombosis. Thrombus is the medical expression for the formation or existence of a blood clot.
Your blood has the health preserving ability to harden from a liquid to a solid, known as coagulation. his process causes blood to clump together, forming a blood clot. In turn, blood clots can cause a barrier to blood flow.
At times, the process of coagulating blood is a good thing. For instance, it can stop a skin wound from bleeding.
However, blood that coagulates into a thrombus within a vein or artery can cause a complete or partial blockage of blood flow to surrounding tissue. When a blood clot blocks the blood flow delivery of nutrients and oxygen to a location, then the area is in peril of tissue damage or death, aka ischemic injury.
A thrombus develops and remains in its location of origin. A blood clot that is formed, breaks off and travels via your bloodstream to another spot is an embolus. Should a mobile blood clot cause the flow of blood to be impeded elsewhere, then the ischemic predicament is termed embolism.
These factors can contribute to blood clot formation:
- atherosclerosis
- blood vessel injury
- high level of fat in blood
- normal blood flow variance
- blood coagulability changes
- large number of blood platelets
- blood vessel lining inflammation
- sluggish blood flow caused by immobility
The blockage of blood flow caused by a thrombus or embolus in certain areas of your body are tagged as specific condition, for instance:
- aortic embolism
- retinal thrombosis
- cerebral thrombosis
- coronary thrombosis
- pulmonary embolism
- deep vein thrombosis
- renal vein thrombosis
- peripheral thrombosis
- cavernous sinus thrombosis
Symptoms depend on where your ischemic injury is experienced. And your first sign of a clot may be an emergency event, as a thrombosis or embolism can cause a stroke, heart attack, aneurysm or an ischemic injury to other vital organs and tissue.
The standard treatment for a thrombus and future clot formations is anticoagulant drugs. Aspirin, coumadin and heparin are often used to treat this blood flow issue.
Staying in the same position for long periods increases your risk for developing deep vein thrombosis. Crumpled sitting in an airplane or automobile are two such risky situations.
Whenever upright movement is limited, these methods may help:
- drink to avoid dehydration
- bend & straighten your legs
- perform calf raises regularly
- wear compression stockings
- press balls of feet against floor
If sitting all day is your plight, give a go to a health nifty leg exerciser throughout your inactive stretch.
