Deep venous thrombosis or DVT is a condition where a blood clot forms in one of the major deep veins, usually of the lower leg, thigh or pelvis. It can cause pain and swelling of the affected leg and its most dangerous consequence is the development of pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lung). Rarely, DVT may occur in a deep vein in the arm.
There are two types of veins in the leg – superficial and deep. The deep veins lie under the muscles while the superficial veins lie just under the skin. Blood clots may sometimes form in the superficial veins but cause milder problems than when the deep veins are involved.
The blood is a liquid medium containing many chemicals, small particles, blood cells and proteins. When needed, these components of the blood can act together to form a gelatinous plug to stop blood loss. A blood clot is normally formed by the body in its attempt to repair an injured blood vessel. The injury may be obvious with signs of bleeding or it may be too minute to be visible. A blood clot that forms in normal circumstances is beneficial and life-saving, but if it occurs without just cause it may lead to problems.
Coronary artery disease (CAD) or ischemic heart disease (IHD) is any condition that leads to ischemia (tissue injury as a result of low oxygen availability) and related injuries to the heart. It covers the entire spectrum of ischemic diseases of the heart from angina to myocardial infarction. As the name suggests, the flow of blood through the coronary arteries, which supply oxygenated blood to the heart muscle, is compromised in CAD.
An aneurysm is an abnormal bulging out or ballooning of a portion of the artery, usually due to weakness of the arterial wall. The aneurysm may enlarge and rupture, often with disastrous consequences.
How Does an Aneurysm Form?
Pathophysiology and Causes of and Aneurysm
When an arterial wall is damaged or injured due to any cause, the force exerted by the blood within the artery can easily push out the weakened wall and form an aneurysm.