PATHOLOGY- Essentials of general pathology - Haemodynamic disorders Flashcards
(95 cards)
What is haemostasis
Process by which blood clots form at sites of blood vessel wall damage/ injury
What are the 2 mutually reinforcing processes in haemostasis
Primary and secondary haemostasis
List the sequence of events in haemostasis when a blood vessel is injured
- Vasoconstriction
- Primary haemostasis (platelet plug formation via exposure of collagen / vWF)
- Secondary haemostasis (fibrin meshwork formation via exposure of tissue factor)
- Clot stabilisation / resorption
What causes vasoconstriction
What is the purpose of vasoconstriction
Neurogenic factor secretion
This acts as a temporary fix, reducing blood flow
what is the purpose of primary haemostasis
Formation of platelet plug
List the steps in primary haemostasis
- Endothelial disruption causes exposure of collagen & VWF on ECM
- Platelets adhere to VWF via glycoprotein 1b
- Activated -> change shape “spike” > ^ surface area
- Secrete granules -> recruit more platelets
- Aggregate to form platelet plug
What is the purpose of secondary haemostasis
Deposition of fibrin meshwork through the coagulation cascade
List the steps in secondary haemostasis
- Tissue factor exposed (normally expressed on sub-endothelial / fibroblast cells)
- Activates coagulation cascade via activation of factor VII - -> thrombin formation
- Thrombin -> cleaves soluble fibrinogen -> insoluble fibrin -> fibrin meshwork
- Thrombin -> also activates more platelets
- RBC entrapment
- Acts to consolidate primary haemostasis
What is the coagulation cascade
Cascade of enzymes going from inactive to active form
List the steps in the coagulation cascade
- Exposed tissue factor activates factor VII to factor VIIa
- This activates cascade
- Prothrombin is converted in to thrombin
- Thrombin
- Converts fibrinogen (soluble) -> fibrin clot (insoluble)
- Activates more platelets
What is clot stabilisation
Platelet aggregates & polymerised fibrin entrap RBCs to form solid clot
How is clotting regulated
Blood dilution of coagulation factors
What is fibrinolysis
- Activated by t-PA from endothelial cells
- Catalyses plasminogen -> plasmin
- Fibrin is degraded by plasmin
What is the role of normal endothelial cells in clot stabilisation and resorption
- Shield blood constituents from TF, VWF, collagen
- Also expresses factors to inhibit coagulation cascade, platelet aggregation and promote fibrinolysis (t-PA)
What happens if endothelial cells in clot stabilisation and resorption become damaged
Lose abilities
Become pro-thrombotic
What is atherosclerosis
Chronic inflammatory / healing response to BV injury
How does atherosclerosis occur
- Stimulus causes endothelial damage which increases permeability
- Lipid (LDL) accumulation due to increase in permeability. Platelet/monocyte adhesion at site of damage
- Macrophage migration and activation. Platelet/macrophages -> smooth muscle recruitment
- Macrophage/smoot muscle lipid uptake and T cell activation
- Increase in smooth muscle/ECM. Atheromatous plaque formed
Describe what can happen after an atherosclerotic plaque is formed
- plaque grows causing critical stenosis
- vessel wall weakening, can develop an aneurysm and rupture
- plaque can rupture exposing VW and tissue factors and including thrombosis by inappropriate activation of primary homeostasis and secondary homeostasis
how can atherosclerosis lead to myocardial ischaemia
Atherosclerotic plaque formed
Plaque ruptures activating inappropriate activation of hemosatsis mechanisms
This results in thrombus formation
What is thrombosis
The inappropriate activation of normal haemostatic mechanisms which results in the formation of a “thrombus”
What is a thrombus
Structured solid mass or plug of blood constituents formed within the heart or blood vessels during life
What 3 factors contribute to thrombosis
What are they known as
Endothelial injury (the dominant mechanism)
Abnormal blood flow
Hypercoagulability
Virchows triad
How does endothelial injury lead to thrombosis
- Severe injury causes exposure of TF/VWF through plaque rupture
- Even if vessel isn’t severely damaged, noxious stimuli (such as physical injury, infection, abnormal blood flow, inflammatory mediators, toxins) can turn normal endothelium in to abnormal endothelium through a pro thrombotic endothelial state
- Endothelial cell activation/dysfunction occurs. Pro-coagulant effects cause a decrease in Thrombomodulin, protein C, tissue factor protein inhibitor. Anti-fibrinolytic causes increases in plasminogen activator inhibitors which causes decrease in t-PA
How does abnormal blood flow load to thrombosis
- Turbulence contributes to thrombosis in the heart and arteries. Stasis generally contributes to thrombosis in veins but sometimes in the heart/arteries, E.g. myocardial infarction/ aneurysms
- Endothelial cell activation -> “pro-thrombotic”
- Disrupts normal ‘laminar’ flow -> platelets interact with / touch endothelium
- Prevents washout / dilution of clotting factors