Deep Vein Thrombosis Essay

Deep vein thrombosis is a cardiovascular disease in which a blood clot forms in a vein deep in the body. It is most commonly found in the lower leg or thigh. This disease is extremely dangerous because if the clot breaks loose, the embolus (loose clot) can travel into the pulmonary circulation where it gets stuck in the lungs, blocking blood flow back to the heart, also known as pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is defined as when a blood clot forms a blockage to any artery or vein that feeds the lungs. Blood clots inside a vein when a person becomes immobilized and muscles are not contracting to push blood back to the heart. Because the blood is not moving fast enough, clots begin to form on the wall of the vein, which may grow to the point of completely blocking the blood from returning to the heart. Some other common names to DVT are: blood clot in the leg, Thrombophlebitis, Venous thrombosis, and Venous thromboembolism; this term is used for deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Only half of the people that have deep vein thrombosis have the actual symptoms to indicate this disease. Common signs include swelling in the leg or along a vein in the leg, increased warmth in the swollen area, pain or tenderness in the leg when standing or walking, or red/discolored skin on the leg. Some people on the other hand, are not aware of the deep vein clot until they have signs of pulmonary embolism such as shortness of breath, rapid breathing and/or rapid heartbeat, pain with deep breathing, light-headedness, chest pain, or coughing up blood.

When blood is not flowing as it should, there is a potential for it to clot. Blood in veins are continuously creating clots that are broken down by the body. If this balance is broken, significant clotting can occur. There are many situations where you can be made susceptible to developing deep vein thrombosis. Times of immobilization such as sitting for long periods of time, hospitalization/surgery, lower leg...
Stroke is a condition which occurs due to lack of oxygen supply to brain. The main cause of the condition is pathological disorder of blood vessels mainly arteries which includes occlusion, rupture or blockage of the blood vessels. Due to loss of blood supply the brain cells eventually die and depending upon the part of brain affected the symptoms appear such as- coma, paralysis, speech impairments or death. According to Gillen and Ann Burkhardt “Stroke is essentially a disease of cerebral vasculature in which failure to supply oxygen to brain cells, which are the most susceptible to ischaemic damage, leads to their death
Main cause for stroke is blood vessel injury such as occlusion by thrombus or embolism, rupture of vessel wall due to aneurysm, disease of vessel wall or disturbance of normal properties of blood which leads to atherosclerosis. Of all strokes, 80% is due to infarction and 20% is due to hemorrhage (Fermie, 88).
Some of the symptoms are that one gets sudden and severe headache at any time of the day, one can feel dizziness. Loss of consciousness is mainly seen, confusion and slurred speech which can be mistaken as drunkenness, dribbling when trying to smile, speak or swallow due to paralysis or weakness of facial muscles, inability to speak and understand words when the frontal lobe of the brain is involved, weakness or complete loss of ability to use one side of the body. Person can also suffer from copious vomiting. The part of the body affected is the opposite side of the affected brain, so if the person is right handed, left sided stroke will affect...

Below is a free essay on "What Causes a Stroke" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples.
What causes a stroke?
Picture yourself walking through the mall, you feel fine. Suddenly, you are unable to use one side of your body and you stumble to the floor. When people rush to help you, you are unable to speak clearly and tell them what you are

Show More