blood clot in lung treatment

blood clot in lung treatment

 Blood clots
(Deep Vein Thrombosis, Phlebitis, Thrombophlebitis)
Information sheet :
Description
causes
Symptoms and Complications
Diagnostic
Treatment and Prevention
Description

Blood clots are semi-solid and viscous masses composed of blood cells. Their formation is a normal reaction of the body as a result of a lesion in a blood vessel. They are used primarily to plug the leak and prevent bleeding.

However, when a clot obstructs an artery (or thrombus) and thus prevents the flow of blood and oxygen to an organ, this can create a tissue injury, ie, an infarction. When blood clots break off (embolism) from the area they need to protect, they can put other organs at risk.

Clots that obstruct blood flow are the main cause of most strokes and heart attacks. They can also damage other organs:

When a blood clot (thrombus) forms in at least one of the arteries that supply the heart with blood, it clogs the bloodstream in a portion of the heart muscle, which decreases or interrupts the oxygenation of the cells in that area. This causes death of the heart muscle in the affected area, and a heart attack occurs.
Clots that prevent oxygenation of the brain are the main cause of stroke.
Clots that form in the eyes can cause sudden blindness.
When a blood clot (thrombus) causes an obstruction, it is called thrombosis. Thrombosis in a vein is almost always associated with phlebitis (an inflammation in the vein). Thrombophlebitis refers to inflammation in a vein in the area where the blood clot has formed.

Thrombophlebitis is classified as superficial or deep. In other words, the thrombosis responsible for thrombophlebitis can occur either in a superficial vein (on the surface) or in a deep vein (below the surface).Thrombophlebitis is superficial when the blood clot forms in a vein near the surface of the skin, in other words a superficial vein.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when the blood clot forms in a deeper and larger vein, such as the veins in the thigh and lower leg. DVT is more worrying than superficial thrombophlebitis. These clots can break off (embolize) a blood vessel and cause pulmonary embolism if they travel to the lungs. (For more information on pulmonary embolism, see "Symptoms and Complications".) Deep vein thrombosis is more common in people over 40 years of age.

causes

Blood clots are caused by:

a disruption of blood circulation (due to obstruction)
a lesion in a blood vessel;
a change in blood composition (eg too much clotting factor in the blood).
Ischemic stroke (caused by obstruction of a blood clot from an artery that carries blood to the brain) may be due to a blood clot that has formed in the heart because of rhythm disorders called atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that consists of rapid, quivering beats in the upper heart (the atrium). This irregular pumping may cause blood to accumulate in the heart chamber and clots that can reach the brain. In addition, an embolus may also form on an artificial heart valve or after a heart attack, or because of a valve disease or heart failure.

The term cardiogenic embolism refers to a clot that forms in the heart and then migrates to the brain. A stroke can occur in someone who has had a heart attack. The heart that has been damaged by a heart attack does not pump the blood properly, which can lead to the formation of a blood clot that will migrate to the brain. Artificial heart valves are also a breeding ground for clots. People with artificial heart valves often take anticoagulant medication to prevent clot formation.

Blood clots can form in an artery narrowed by atherosclerosis, a phenomenon commonly known as hardening of the arteries. After a while, atherosclerosis leads to thickening and hardening of the arterial walls, and the artery narrows until blood circulation is reduced. These arteries become vulnerable to injury. If they tear, a clot can form, completely obstructing the already narrowed artery and interrupting the oxygenation of part of the heart or brain.

Blood clotting disorders and rare blood disorders also cause clot formation, but the cause of this phenomenon is not always known.

In some women, taking an oral contraceptive (birth control pill) may increase the risk of a blood clot. The risk is higher in women over 35 who smoke or have had a blood clot.

The causes of inflammation of a superficial vein are numerous. One of the common causes is trauma or injury, for example because of intravenous (ie vein) solutions or medications in the hospital. Puncturing the vein to administer the solution or medication may cause irritation. Any vein injury (such as an injury in an automobile accident) will trigger inflammation in the area, causing pain, discomfort, redness and swelling. During this process, there is an increase in blood flow to the injured area and a blood clot is frequently formed in the inflamed or injured area of ​​the vein. Superficial thrombophlebitis is an unpleasant disorder, but rarely causes serious problems.

Sometimes thrombophlebitis is caused by a bacterial infection of the vein. Most often, the pathogen is a bacterium called staphylococcus, a microorganism often found on the skin.In some cases, thrombophlebitis occurs for no obvious reason. It can occur in a leg vein in the pregnant woman, in people with varicose veins and in some people who have abdominal cancer (especially pancreatic cancer). Finally, women over the age of 35 who smoke and take oral contraceptives (birth control pills) are at increased risk for blood clots.

Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a blood clot forms in a deep vein in the leg or pelvis. PST is often caused by:

a prolonged sitting or bed rest;
Surgery or trauma (especially hip surgery, gynecological surgery or cardiac surgery)
medicines such as estrogen and birth control pills with high estrogen levels;
leg injury or immobilization due to a cast used to treat a fracture;
hospitalization (current or last 3 months);
cancer and cancer treatment;
an infection.
Some inherited disorders increase the likelihood of deep vein thrombosis. Blood circulation inthe veins depend on the contraction of the muscles around them; in case of inactivity, for example during a rest in bedprolonged, blood accumulates in some places and clots can form easily.