MILES EDU
COURSE CODE:
1.11: understand the blood clotting process (thromboplastin
release, conversion of prothrombin to thrombin and fibrinogen
to fibrin) and its role in cardiovascular disease (CVD)
Key Questions:
What is thrombosis?
What is the sequence leading to
thrombosis?
Effects of thrombosis?
How does a stroke happen?
How does deep vein thrombosis
occur?
What is coronary heart disease?
How does blood clot/ atheroma
cause heart attack?
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Notes:
Thrombosis (blood clotting)
Blood clotting is very important as it prevents excessive loss of blood from the body. But
if the blood clot takes place in the arteries, it can be life threatening as it may block the
passage of blood and also increase blood pressure.
Blood clotting process occurs in a series of steps:
- Thromboplastin is released from platelet triggered by the damaged blood
vessel.
- It converts prothrombin to thrombin in the presence of vitamin K and calcium
ions..
- Thrombin acts as an enzyme to then convert fibrinogen, a soluble protein into
fibrin, an insoluble protein.
- The fibers of fibrin entangle together and trap the red blood cells.
- In this way a blood clot is formed.
Blood clots can lead to heart attack, stroke and deep vein thrombosis.
Any blockage by the blood clot in the coronary artery that supplies blood to the heart,
may lead to a heart attack.
Complete blockage cuts off oxygen and blood supply to the heart cells, causing cell
death. If a blood clot occurs in the arteries that supply blood to the brain, it may lead to
loss of brain functioning leading to a stroke.
Another type of blood clot may occur in the leg veins. This is called deep vein
thrombosis (DVT). It increases with the age of a person.
- Blood clot in an artery leading to the brain, which reduces the amount of blood
and therefore oxygen that can reach the brain.
- Producing a rapid loss of brain function due to a disruption in the blood supply
to the brain.
- DVT is the formation of a blood clot in a vein deep inside the body (usually in
the leg veins )
- It can be caused by prolonged inactivity (during long haul flights) risk increases
with age.
When the coronary arteries have lots of atheroma in them, which restricts blood flow to
the heart. The atheromas also increase the risk of blood clots forming, leading to an
increased risk of heart attack.
The heart muscle is supplied with blood by the coronary arteries This blood contains
the oxygen needed by heart muscle cells to carry out respiration.
- If a coronary artery becomes completely blocked by a blood clot an area of the
heart muscle will be totally cut off from its blood supply, so it will not receive any
oxygen.
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 MILES EDU
COURSE CODE:

- This causes heart muscle cells to undergo anaerobic respiration and this
increases lactic acid concentration in heart cells.
- The decrease in pH causes heart cells to die leading to a myocardial infarction
(heart attack)

A heart attack can cause damage and death of the heart muscle
- Symptoms include pain in the chest and upper body, shortness of breath and
sweating.
- If large areas are affected complete heart failure can occur which is often fatal.

Summary

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