Causes

There are three main factors that cause thromboses in the leg, which are summarized under the name Virchow Trias. These include changes in the inner walls of blood vessels, changes in blood flow and disturbances in the composition of the blood. Vascular walls change in connection with injuries, when scars are formed and through inflammations caused by viruses or bacteria.

If the flow behavior of the blood changes, vertebrae are formed. This often happens, for example, in the context of varicose vein disease (varices) or by slowing down the flow of blood in the case of heart failure. As a result, small clots are formed because the insufficient flow allows the individual components of the blood to form “clusters” (clots), further complicating the blood flow and finally closing the vessel completely.

The third main cause of thrombosis, the altered composition of the blood, is caused by an imbalance in blood coagulation and the dissolution of blood clots. Normally, the two components balance each other out to allow a regulated blood flow in intact vessels, but at the same time to allow rapid blood clotting in cases of vascular injury. In the context of various diseases, this balance can be upset.

Of particular note here is thrombophilia, a genetic predisposition to the formation of particularly large numbers of blood clots with a high risk potential for cardiovascular disease. In addition to the three main causes, there is a broad spectrum of risk factors that greatly promote the development of thromboses. Smoking, overweight, insufficient exercise, but also varicose veins and the intake of diuretics are among the risk factors. These mentioned causes can also lead to pelvic vein thrombosis. This is problematic because it does not cause any symptoms, which is why it can be detected too late.

Risk factors

In addition to risk factors such as obesity, lack of exercise, smoking and taking the pill, there are also various rare hereditary diseases that increase the risk of thrombosis.These occur in about 0.1%-5% of the population. They increase the risk of developing thrombosis by 3-8 times compared to healthy people.