Blood ClotsSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Blood Clots
Blood clots are clumps that occur when blood hardens from a liquid to a solid. A blood clot that forms inside one of your veins or arteries is called a thrombus. A thrombus may also form in your heart. A thrombus that breaks loose and travels from one location in the body to another is called an embolus.
A thrombus or embolus can partly or completely block the flow of blood in a blood vessel. A blockage in an artery may prevent oxygen from reaching the tissues in that area. This is called ischemia. If ischemia is not treated promptly, it can lead to tissue damage or death. A blockage in the vein will often cause fluid buildup and swelling in the area where blood is drained by that vein.
Clot; Emboli; Thrombi; Thromboembolus; Hypercoagulable state
Situations in which a blood clot is more likely to form in veins include:
- Being on long-term bed rest
- Sitting for long periods, such as in a plane or car
- During and after pregnancy
- Taking birth control pills or estrogen hormones (especially in women who smoke)
- Long-term use of an intravenous catheter
- After surgery (especially abdominal and orthopedic surgeries)
Blood clots are also more likely to form after an injury. People with cancer, obesity, and liver or kidney disease are also prone to blood clots.
Smoking also increases the risk of forming blood clots.
Conditions that are passed down through families (inherited) may make you more likely to form abnormal blood clots. Inherited conditions that affect clotting are:
- Factor V Leiden variant
- Prothrombin G20210A variant
- Other rare conditions, such as protein C, protein S, and antithrombin III deficiencies
A blood clot may block an artery or vein in an organ, affecting the:
- Heart (angina or a heart attack)
- Intestines (mesenteric ischemia or mesenteric venous thrombosis)
- Kidneys (renal vein thrombosis)
- Leg or arm arteries
- Legs (deep vein thrombosis)
- Lungs (pulmonary embolism)
- Neck or brain (stroke)
Emory Hemophilia Of Georgia
Christine Kempton is a Hematologist practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been practicing medicine for over 29 years. Dr. Kempton is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Blood Clots. She is also highly rated in 21 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Hemophilia A, Blood Clots, Hemophilia B, Von Willebrand Disease (VWD), and Bone Marrow Aspiration. Dr. Kempton is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, 2004.
Atrium Health Levine Cancer Institute
Ruben Mesa is a Hematologist and an Oncologist practicing medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Mesa is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Blood Clots. He is also highly rated in 17 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Myelofibrosis, Polycythemia Vera, Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN), Bone Marrow Transplant, and Splenectomy. Dr. Mesa is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, Hematology. Dr. Mesa is currently accepting new patients.
Doris Quon is a Hematologist practicing medicine in Los Angeles, California. Dr. Quon is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Blood Clots. She is also highly rated in 10 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Hemophilia A, Blood Clots, Hemophilia B, and Hemophilic Arthropathy. Dr. Quon is currently accepting new patients.
Summary: Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome (HPS) is an inherited disease which results in decreased pigmentation (oculocutaneous albinism), bleeding problems due to a platelet abnormality (platelet storage pool defect), and storage of an abnormal fat-protein compound (lysosomal accumulation of ceroid lipofuscin). The disease can cause poor functioning of the lungs, intestine, kidneys, or heart. The major complicat...
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if sirolimus, added to standard background therapy (corticosteroids and hydroxychloroquine), works to treat systemic lupus erythematosus-associated immune thrombocytopenia (SLE-ITP) in adults aged 18 to 65 years. The study also aims to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and safety of sirolimus over 48 weeks. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1....
Published Date: May 01, 2026
Published By: Warren Brenner, MD, Oncologist, Lynn Cancer Institute, Boca Raton, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
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Schafer AI. Approach to the patient with bleeding or thrombosis: hypercoagulable states. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 157.