Q J Med 2002; 95: 199-210
© 2002 Association of Physicians
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Peripheral vascular disease and Virchow's triad for thrombogenesis
From the Haemostasis Thrombosis and Vascular Biology Unit, University Department of Medicine, City Hospital, Birmingham, UK
| Introduction |
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Peripheral vascular disease (PVD), with its symptomatic manifestation, intermittent claudication, is associated with significant morbidity and mortality,13 and is an important cause of clinic visits and hospitalizations.4 Many patients with PVD sustain cardiovascular complications, such as heart attacks and strokes,5 which represent the main causes of death in this condition, rather than PVD per se.2,6 Further, emergency treatment is commonly required in this condition due to thrombosis of the affected artery. Indeed, the costs of peripheral artery occlusion resulting in critical leg ischaemia have been estimated at $5001000 per million per year, with a mortality of about 20% per year in these patients.7
While it would be convenient to treat PVD as a single entity, this is not the case, as several almost distinct processes can be identified. The development of the atherosclerotic plaque is the obvious initial process, eventually progressing in severity and leading to intermittent claudication. The next
| Virchow's triad and the complications of peripheral vascular disease |
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| Abnormal blood flow |
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| Blood constituents |
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Fibrinogen
Fibrin degradation products
Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)
Von Willebrand factor (vWf)
Homocysteine
| Vessel wall |
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| The hypercoagulable state in PVD: cause or effect? |
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| Conclusion |
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| Acknowledgments |
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| Notes |
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| References |
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