Blood clotting is a natural process that allows the blood to form blood cells and fibrin clots to stop bleeding when a blood vessel breaks or is damaged. If the body does not have the ability to freeze the blood, those with minor injuries will die because they bleed.
However, when a blood clot (thrombus) forms in the arteries can block blood flow to the heart muscle or brain, triggering a heart attack or stroke. Or, when blood is too long in the chambers of the heart (occurring in certain heart conditions), a clot can form, and part of the blood clot would be pumped through the bloodstream and clog on one organ or artery, cutting off blood supply from this point. This blockage is called "embolus".
There are many other conditions associated with blood clotting, for example:
• Blood clotting involves coronary thrombosis in coronary arteries causing a heart attack
• Blood clots in the vessels to make blood clots in the leg veins
• Blood clots in the pulmonary embolus will make blood clots in the arteries of the lungs
• Congestion on retinal blood vessels to make blood clots in the vessels of the eye
Symptom
Symptoms of blood clots based on where blood clots are:
• In the lungs, the symptoms are a sharp chest pain, rapid heart rate, blood tinged cough, shortness of breath, fever and chills
• In the arms or legs, the symptoms are visual disturbances, weakness, decreased speech, swelling and a slight blue color. If present in the blood vessels, will cause swelling and bruising.
• In the brain, the symptoms are visual disturbances, weakness, decreased speech, causing a stroke or event that insufficient blood supply to the brain for a while.
• The heart, the symptoms are pain in the chest due to a heart attack. A blood clot formed in the heart can also be carried to other organs or the body's arteries. The condition can cause blood clots that form in the heart including heart valve disorders, previous heart attack, atrial fibrillation and heart failure.
Stomach, the symptoms are severe pain in the abdominal area, vomiting and / or diarrhea.
Causes & Risk Factors
Cause
Certain conditions that cause blood clots include:
• Platelets are specialized blood cells that clot to form the "blockage", helps to stop bleeding.
• Factors that cause the freezing of blood is a protein in the blood related, all preparing platelet clotting.
• Damage to the endothelial - damage to blood vessels and the heart line to decide where the blood clot is formed.
• Slow blood flow or blood flow turbulence will affect the formation of blood clots.
Risk factors
Some factors that may increase the risk of blood clots include:
• Atherosclerosis
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack or stroke before
• Disturbances in heart valve
• Heart failure
• Trauma to the blood vessels, for example due to an accident, surgery or burns
• Increased platelet levels due to genetic disorder
• Infection
• Swelling of the intestines
• Pregnancy
• Impaired immune system
• certain cancers
• Problems with the vascular
• The lack of inactivity body
• Disturbances in kidney
In addition, the following lifestyle can increase the risk of:
• Smoking
• Obesity (more than 10 kg overweight)
• Weak in exercising
• The use of birth control pills, especially the kind of high doses
• High-dose estrogen or hormone replacement therapy
• Sitting in one position for a long time (such as in an aircraft)
Prevention
• Patients with known cardiovascular conditions, such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart valve disorders, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, expansion vessel and aneurysm. This condition requires treatment, which often includes anti-clotting drug.
• Patients who undergo surgery, especially after a long time not moving, need anti-clotting drug with a specific type in one or two days before the operation, and often given support stockings to wear immediately during and / or after surgery .
• Passenger aircraft (flight distance) may benefit from aspirin and support socks, but the best prevention is to have enough water in the body and moves regularly.
• Patients with certain physical trauma should be carefully observed the formation of blood clots, especially in patients known to have cancer or immune system disorders.
• Pregnancy is also a period of high risk, but the suspicion that the same should also be considered in patients who use birth control pills, especially if combined with the expansion of blood vessels and smoking.
• In general, maintain weight, not smoking and regular exercise beneficial for everyone. Patients over 50 years of frequent use of aspirin for other reasons, and it may also help prevent freezing.