A cardiac thrombus is a condition characterized by the growth of a blood clot in the tissues of the heart. The clot is composed of fibrous tissue, cholesterol and dead cells. This abnormal growth within the heart can obstruct blood flow and prevent the heart from pumping blood properly. This can lead to heart failure, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases. Determining the causes of the thrombus can aid in the treatment of this disease.
Prosthetic Heart Valves
The presence of prosthetic heart valves can predispose a patient to the development of a cardiac thrombus, states a September 2007 article in the "Netherlands Health Journal." Prosthetic heart valves provide an initial growth point for the blood clot. Most commonly, patients with prosthetic heart valves who are suffering other conditions, like pregnancy, are at the highest risk of developing a cardiac thrombus. In such cases, patients may need to receive medications like warfarin, which helps prevent blood from clotting, to reduce the risk of developing a thrombus in their heart.
Atherosclerosis
Three coronary vessels are directly related to the heart and its blood supply. Atherosclerosis, or the accumulation of cholesterol and fat in these arteries, can lead to the development of a cardiac thrombus, reports NetDoctor UK. Atherosclerosis causes the walls of the coronary arteries to harden and weaken. As the cholesterol and fat builds up in the artery, it can rupture and become a site for blood to blot around the damaged tissue. Over time this will develop into a cardiac thrombus.
Chagas' Heart Disease
Chagas' disease is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. The disease can cause damage to the heart muscle and cause irregularities in the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Heart disease caused by Chagas' disease has been related to the development of cardiac thrombi, according to the "American Journal of Cardiology." Chagas' disease causes a slowing of blood flow in the heart and a swelling of the heart tissue. Both of these effects, increases the risk of cardiac thrombus formation in both the right and left sides of the heart. A cardiac thrombus was found in approximately 44 percent of patients with Chagas' heart disease.
References
- "Netherlands Heart Journal"; Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis, anticoagulation and pregnancy: a case report and review of literature; J.T. van Kuilenburg et al.; September 2007
- "American Journal of Cardiology"; Cardiac thrombosis and thromboembolism in chronic Chagas' heart disease; J. Samuel et al.; July 1983
- Net Doctor UK: Coronary Thrombosis
- MedlinePlus: Chagas Disease
