Blood clots that form in the body are called thrombi. Several heart conditions can lead to the formation of a blood clot, or thrombus, within the heart. Blood clots within the heart cause problems when they break loose or travel outside the heart through the blood vessels. If they lodge in blood vessels in the brain, lungs or other organs, they decrease blood flow to the area.
Causes
Blood clots can develop in the heart for several reasons. Atrial fibrillation, an uncoordinated quivering of the top chambers of the heart, the atria, affects 2.2 million people in the United States, the American Heart Association reports. Blood clots form in the atria, mainly on the left side, because the atria don't pump blood out efficiently, so blood stagnates and forms small clots. When heart failure develops, the heart might also not pump efficiently and pooled blood can clot in the ventricles, the lower chambers of the heart, according to the Merck Manual. Clots can also form on the valves that keep blood flowing through the heart if the valves become damaged or on man-made replacement valves, the National Heart Lung and blood Institute reports.
Symptoms
Blood clots in the heart normally don't cause problems until they break loose and travel out of the heart and into major blood vessels, where they get stuck and block blood flow. Around 15 percent of strokes, which occur when blood flow to the brain decreases, occur in people with atrial fibrillation, according to the American Heart Association. Stroke, the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to Cedars-Sinai Hospital, can affect speech, thinking, movement, vision or behavior, depending on where the clot lodges. Blood clots can also lodge in the lungs, causing pulmonary embolism. Signs of pulmonary embolism include shortness of breath, rapid breathing, chest pain, cough, sweating, lightheadedness and irregular heartbeat, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Diagnosis of Causes
An electrocardiogram, or EKG, can diagnose atrial fibrillation. An EKG and a echocardiogram can diagnose types of heart failure. Cardiologists evaluate the risk of clot formation using a CHADS score, which assigns points to certain risks to determine the chance of clot formation in the hearts of high-risk people, cardiologist Kirk Laman reports on HealthCentral.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the cause of clot formation. People with atrial fibrillation and valve problems take blood thinners such as aspirin and Coumadin to prevent clots. Medication to treat specific types of heart failure varies depending on the cause of the disease.
Complications
Blood clots that form in the heart can cause death if they break loose. Prevention of stroke or pulmonary embolism by treating the underlying cause and taking medications to decrease clot formation under the care of a cardiologist reduces the risk of serious, life-threatening complications.
