Hemostasis and Thrombosis

Abstract

Normal hemostasis involves a sequence of controlled mechanisms that keep blood in the fluid state within blood vessels while quickly creating a localized clot at the site of a blood vessel injury. Upon activation, the coagulation cascade needs to be precisely limited to the area of injury to avoid unwanted and potentially harmful clot formation in other locations. Thrombosis is the formation of blood clots within intact blood vessels. Virchow’s triad describes the 3 fundamental risk factors for the development of intravascular thrombosis. The balance between the anti-thrombotic and prothrombotic activities of endothelium determines whether thrombus formation, propagation, or dissolution occurs.