Mechanistic View of Risk Factors for Venous Thromboembolism

• Published in: Arteriosclerosis, thrombosis, and vascular biology Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 563 - 568
• Main Authors: Reitsma, Pieter H, Versteeg, Henri H, Middeldorp, Saskia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Heart Association, Inc 01.03.2012; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Subjects: Adaptive Immunity; Animals; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Blood Coagulation; Blood Platelets - metabolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cell-Derived Microparticles - metabolism; Coronary heart disease; Diseases of the peripheral vessels. Diseases of the vena cava. Miscellaneous; Endothelial Cells - immunology; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; Erythrocytes - metabolism; Heart; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Inflammation Mediators - blood; Medical sciences; Oxygen - blood; Regional Blood Flow; Risk Assessment; Risk Factors; Venous Thromboembolism - blood; Venous Thromboembolism - etiology; Venous Thromboembolism - immunology; Venous Thromboembolism - physiopathology; risk factors; Respiratory disease; Deep vein thrombosis; Cardiovascular disease; platelets; Venous disease; Endothelium; Vascular disease; Pulmonary embolism; Platelet; Atherosclerosis; Risk factor; Venous thrombosis; Thromboembolism
• ISSN: 1079-5642; 1524-4636
• DOI: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.111.242818

Venous thromboembolism is an episodic disease with an annual incidence of 2 to 3/1000 per year that is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Risk factors for venous thromboembolism come in many guises. They fit into an extended version of Virchowʼs triad and they tilt the hemostatic balance toward clot formation. This can be achieved by decreasing blood flow and lowering oxygen tension, by activating the endothelium, by activating innate or acquired immune responses, by activating blood platelets, or by increasing the number of platelets and red blood cells or modifying the concentrations of pro- and anticoagulant proteins in the blood. In this narrative review we will discuss the known common risk factors within this pathophysiological framework.