What are Blood Clots ?
A thrombus, or blood clot, is the final product of the blood coagulation step in hemostasis. It is achieved via the aggregation of platelets that form a platelet plug, and the activation of the humoral coagulation system (i.e. clotting factors). A thrombus is physiologic in cases of injury, but pathologic in case of thrombosis. Specifically, a thrombus is a blood clot in an intact blood vessel. A thrombus in a large blood vessel will decrease blood flow through that vessel. In a small blood vessel, blood flow may be completely cut-off resulting in the death of tissue supplied by that vessel. If a thrombus dislodges and becomes free-floating, it is an embolus. Some of the conditions in which blood clots develop include atrial fibrillation (a form of cardiac arrhythmia), heart valve replacement, a recent heart attack, extended periods of inactivity and genetic or disease-related deficiencies in the blood’s clotting abilities. Preventing blood clots reduces the risk of stroke, heart attac
