Coronary Artery Disease—Blood Clots

Also called: Hypercoagulability

Normally, if you get hurt, your body forms a blood clot to stop the bleeding. After the bleeding stops and healing takes place, your body usually breaks down and removes the clot. But some people get too many clots or their blood clots abnormally. Many conditions can cause the blood to clot too much or prevent blood clots from dissolving properly.

Risk factors for excessive blood clotting include

Certain genetic disorders
Atherosclerosis
Diabetes
Atrial fibrillation
Overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome
Some medicines
Smoking
Staying in one position for a long time, such as being in the hospital or taking a long car or plane ride
Cancer and cancer treatments

Blood clots can form in, or travel to, the blood vessels in the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and limbs. A clot in the veins deep in the limbs is called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). DVT usually affects the deep veins of the legs. If a blood clot in a deep vein breaks off and travels through the bloodstream to the lungs and blocks blood flow, it is called a pulmonary embolism. Other complications of blood clots include stroke, heart attack, kidney problems, kidney failure, and pregnancy-related problems. Treatments for blood clots include blood thinners and other medicines.

Arterial embolism (Medical Encyclopedia)
Blood clots (Medical Encyclopedia)
D-dimer test (Medical Encyclopedia)
Prothrombin time (PT) (Medical Encyclopedia)
Superficial thrombophlebitis (Medical Encyclopedia)
Thrombophlebitis (Medical Encyclopedia)

Also called: CAD, Coronary arteriosclerosis, Coronary atherosclerosis

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death in the United States in both men and women.

CAD happens when the arteries that supply blood to heart muscle become hardened and narrowed. This is due to the buildup of cholesterol and other material, called plaque, on their inner walls. This buildup is called atherosclerosis. As it grows, less blood can flow through the arteries. As a result, the heart muscle can’t get the blood or oxygen it needs. This can lead to chest pain (angina) or a heart attack. Most heart attacks happen when a blood clot suddenly cuts off the hearts’ blood supply, causing permanent heart damage.

Over time, CAD can also weaken the heart muscle and contribute to heart failure and arrhythmias. Heart failure means the heart can’t pump blood well to the rest of the body. Arrhythmias are changes in the normal beating rhythm of the heart.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute