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The cardiologist named the causes of blood clots and ways to recognize them in time.

Cardiologist Lakhmai: thrombosis often leads to disability and death
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According to WHO, about 70% of the world's population suffers from thrombosis. Every year, they cause the deaths of millions of people around the world and often lead to disability. On May 14, Kirill Lakhmai, a cardiovascular surgeon at SM Clinic, told Izvestia why blood clots occur and how to recognize this dangerous pathology in time.

Thrombosis is a natural process that allows the body to protect itself from blood loss. When blood vessels are damaged, a blood clot (thrombus) closes the injury site and thereby prevents infection from entering. However, the specialist warned that if hemostasis is disrupted (the natural mechanism of blood clotting), blood clots can form spontaneously, disrupting the blood supply to organs and tissues.

"Most often, patients are diagnosed with so—called red blood clots (formed from red blood cells - platelets and erythrocytes). The peculiarity of such blood clots is that they appear in deep and superficial veins with slow blood flow and at the time of the greatest blood clotting," the specialist explained.

He clarified that red blood clots are the culprits of such common diseases as varicose veins and thrombophlebitis, which cause inflammatory processes in blood vessels and their deformation.

Another type is white blood clots, so named because of the presence of leukocytes in their composition. Such blood clots, as explained by the cardiovascular surgeon, usually form in the arteries of the brain, heart muscle, kidneys, lungs and veins of the extremities. In them, blood moves with great speed and tremendous pressure. Sometimes mixed layered blood clots can form in large veins and arteries — they consist of elements of white and red blood clots, often in places of vascular damage.

According to the doctor, the separation of blood clots and their movement through the bloodstream are particularly dangerous for patients. In such a mobile state, they can completely block the lumen of blood vessels and cause disorders of cerebral circulation, the development of strokes, myocardial and intestinal infarction, acute renal failure, ischemia of the upper and lower extremities, and in the case of their formation in the pulmonary arteries, thromboembolism.

The specialist emphasized that the formation of blood clots in the veins and arteries is a life—threatening condition. Depending on the severity of the problem, doctors use different treatment options: medications (anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents) or surgery.

"To assess the risk of thrombosis and control blood clotting, patients are recommended to undergo a series of studies. The key ones are a general blood test, a coagulogram, and coagulation factor tests. If doctors suspect an already formed blood clot, patients are additionally prescribed ultrasound examination of blood vessels," concluded Lakhmai.

The doctor added that this approach makes it possible to detect the problem in a timely manner and take the necessary measures to prevent dangerous complications. Early diagnosis and blood count monitoring are an important part of thrombosis prevention.

On April 23, Natalia Zolotareva, a cardiologist and somnologist at the SM Clinic, told Izvestia about the dangerous consequences of atherosclerosis. According to her, atherosclerosis can lead to heart attack, stroke and even gangrene. In addition, the first signs of the disease are not excluded in 20-30 years.

Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»

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