Dietary fatty acids and thrombosis

Abstract

The process of thrombosis is a multifactorial event involving the vessel wall, the cellular elements of the flowing blood and the plasma coagulation proteins. The process is like the tide; building up and breaking down, continuously, repeating itself. The forces contributing to the final occlusive event include both those involved in thrombogenesis and thrombolysis. In man, venous and arterial thrombosis are both, particular in the Western World, main causes of morbidity and mortality (1). In more than 90% of cases with acute myocardial infarction, arterial thrombosis has been localized in the coronary arteries during the early hours after debut of symptoms (2). The processes of atherosclerosis and thrombosis which act together are closely connected, both resulting in narrowing and occlusion of the artery. Even if the connections between these two processes are not fully elucidated, there is good evidence that an arterial thrombus may transfer into an atherosclerotic lesion and furthermore, an atherosclerotic lesion may be the base for a secondary thrombus which then represent the final occlusive event.