Blood clots
Blood Clots
Blood clots (pronunciation: /blʌd klɒts/) are semi-solid masses of blood that can be a normal response to injury to prevent bleeding, but can also cause blockages in veins and arteries, leading to serious medical conditions.
Etymology
The term "blood clot" is derived from the Old English "blod" and "clott", meaning a mass or lump.
Definition
A blood clot is a clump of blood that has changed from a liquid to a gel-like or semi-solid state. Clotting is a necessary process that can prevent you from losing too much blood in certain instances, such as when you're injured or cut. However, when a clot forms inside one of your veins, it may not dissolve on its own. This can lead to serious health problems, such as heart attack, stroke, and other life-threatening conditions.
Related Terms
- Thrombus: A blood clot that forms in a vessel and remains there.
- Embolus: A blood clot that travels from the vessel where it was formed to another location in the body.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT): A blood clot that forms in a major vein, usually in the leg or pelvis.
- Pulmonary embolism (PE): A blood clot that has traveled to the lungs, which can be life-threatening.
- Coagulation: The process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a clot.
- Anticoagulant: A drug that helps prevent blood clots from forming.
- Thrombolysis: The breakdown (lysis) of blood clots by pharmacological methods.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Blood clots
- Wikipedia's article - Blood clots
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