Obstruction of a blood vessel by a clot
Animation showing the formation of an occlusive blood clot in a vein. Several platelets attach to the lips of the valve, narrowing the opening and causing more platelets and red blood cells to pool and clot. Clotting of immobile blood on both sides of the blockage can cause the clot to spread in both directions. Acute blockage (embolism) of a blood vessel by a thrombus that has detached from its place of formation (on the wall of a vessel) and entered the circulating blood. As a result of this blockage, blood flow in the vessel stops—a condition called thromboembolism.[ 1]
Thromboembolism is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombus ) breaks off from its original site and travels through the bloodstream (as an embolus ) to obstruct a blood vessel, causing tissue ischemia and organ damage. Thromboembolism can affect both the venous and arterial systems, with different clinical manifestations and management strategies.[ 2] [ 3]
^ "Venous Thromboembolism - Causes and Risk Factors | NHLBI, NIH" . September 19, 2022. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved February 25, 2024 .
^ Tan BK, Mainbourg S, Friggeri A, Bertoletti L, Douplat M, Dargaud Y, Grange C, Lobbes H, Provencher S, Lega JC (October 2021). "Arterial and venous thromboembolism in COVID-19: a study-level meta-analysis". Thorax . 76 (10): 970–979. doi :10.1136/thoraxjnl-2020-215383 . PMID 33622981 . S2CID 232039896 .
^ Donnellan E, Khorana AA (February 2017). "Cancer and Venous Thromboembolic Disease: A Review" . Oncologist . 22 (2): 199–207. doi :10.1634/theoncologist.2016-0214 . PMC 5330704 . PMID 28174293 .