The consequences of an unidentified or untreated arterial or venous thrombosis can be fatal for the patient
It can happen, in the course of all of our lives, that we have to deal with more or less serious thrombosis which can lead to even fatal consequences if the problem is not identified quickly. But exactly what is thrombosiswhat are the main symptoms and what can be the consequences?
What is thrombosis?
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Thrombosis is a clinical condition that occurs when thrombi, i.e., form inside the blood vessels real blood clots which hinder or prevent normal blood circulation and which, depending on the point in which they are formed, can lead to more or less serious consequences for the affected person.
The thrombus which partially or totally blocks the blood vessels is made up of blood cells – red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets – which are effectively trapped by a network formed by blood coagulation proteins. His danger is represented byinterruption of correct blood circulation inside the vein and artery in which it is formed and by the possibility that these separate into smaller parts, called emboliwhich pass through the circulatory system and can prevent normal blood flow even in distant organs from the point where the thrombus originated.
In more serious cases, emboli can cause pulmonary embolisms, myocardial infarction And cerebral infarction and for this very reason it is good to know how to recognize the symptoms and know the main causes of thrombosis so as to reduce the risk of fatal consequences as much as possible.
Arterial thrombosis: causes and symptoms
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Thrombosis can be of two types, depending on the blood vessel in which the thrombus forms. There arterial thrombosisoften caused by pathologies such as atherosclerosis, occurs in the arteries and, if not identified or caught in time, can lead to to the death of the organ to which the artery carries oxygenated blood. Among the main risk factors for arterial thrombosis we find diabetes, obesity, arterial hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.
The symptoms of arterial thrombosis are different depending on the organ that is affected, but in general manifest themselves with pain in the affected area: chest pain in the case of thrombosis affecting the heart, pain in the feet or calves if the arteries of the lower limbs are affected, abdominal pain if the thrombosis affects the intestine and difficulty moving or speaking if the occlusion concerns the arterial vessels that carry blood to the brain.
Venous thrombosis: causes and symptoms
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Venous thrombosis, on the other hand, is the consequence of the formation of one or more blood clots in the veins that drain blood from an organ. The causes in this case they are different and range from immobility caused by trauma or intercurrent illnesses to tumors, from pregnancy to surgical interventions, through the use of the contraceptive pill.
If the symptoms of arterial thrombosis are easily identifiable, those of venous thrombosis are less evident and often when the problem is realized the occlusion is already important. In general, however, it is best not to underestimate situations numbness and redness of a body part or limb, as well as a sudden sensation of heat, sudden breathing difficulties both at rest and under stress, sudden changes in heart rhythm and sudden chest pain.
How is thrombosis treated?
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The cure for thrombosis it depends on the type of occlusion and the damage already done to our body. Blockage of arteries is typically treated with antithrombotic drugs which reduce the ability of platelets to aggregate together, such as classic aspirin, while in cases of venous thrombosis they are used anticoagulant drugs which partially inhibit blood clotting with the aim of dissolving the thrombus and blocking its growth.
For more serious cases of thrombosis, when the patient’s life is at riskin hospital and controlled settings, thrombolytic drugs are used that can dissolve the clots much faster, although this can increase the risk of bleeding.
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