Can COVID-19 lead to lethal thrombosis?
Can COVID-19 lead to lethal thrombosis?
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Thrombosis occurs when a clump of blood changes from a liquid form to a semi-solid form (called a 'blood clot' or 'thrombus'), and then becomes big enough to partially or fully block the regular flow of blood in veins or arteries. In some severe cases of COVID-19, thrombosis can happen, which prevents blood from flowing normally in patients (despite many of taking blood thinners meant to prevent blood clots from occurring). In some COVID-19 patients, thrombosis may contribute to causing respiratory (breathing) failure, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes or other dangerous medical issues that can lead to death. Research studies have shown that thrombosis is a known complication of COVID-19 and is associated with an increased risk of death. More research is needed in this area to determine exactly **why** thrombosis may be occurring. Recent analyses show that many hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who developed thrombosis also developed pneumonia and other lung and respiratory problems. Some patients also developed damage to their blood vessels, while a significant number also developed pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lung). These other impacts must also be considered when studying and determining the cause of death related to COVID-19.
Thrombosis occurs when a clump of blood changes from a liquid form to a semi-solid form (called a 'blood clot' or 'thrombus'), and then becomes big enough to partially or fully block the regular flow of blood in veins or arteries. In some severe cases of COVID-19, thrombosis can happen, which prevents blood from flowing normally in patients (despite many of taking blood thinners meant to prevent blood clots from occurring). In some COVID-19 patients, thrombosis may contribute to causing respiratory (breathing) failure, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes or other dangerous medical issues that can lead to death. Research studies have shown that thrombosis is a known complication of COVID-19 and is associated with an increased risk of death. More research is needed in this area to determine exactly **why** thrombosis may be occurring. Recent analyses show that many hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who developed thrombosis also developed pneumonia and other lung and respiratory problems. Some patients also developed damage to their blood vessels, while a significant number also developed pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lung). These other impacts must also be considered when studying and determining the cause of death related to COVID-19.
Publication
What our experts say
Thrombosis occurs when a clump of blood changes from a liquid form to a semi-solid form (called a 'blood clot' or 'thrombus'), and then becomes big enough to partially or fully block the regular flow of blood in veins or arteries. In some severe cases of COVID-19, thrombosis can happen, which prevents blood from flowing normally in patients (despite many of taking blood thinners meant to prevent blood clots from occurring).
In some COVID-19 patients, thrombosis may contribute to causing respiratory (breathing) failure, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes or other dangerous medical issues that can lead to death. Research studies have shown that thrombosis is a known complication of COVID-19 and is associated with an increased risk of death. More research is needed in this area to determine exactly why thrombosis may be occurring.
Recent analyses show that many hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who developed thrombosis also developed pneumonia and other lung and respiratory problems. Some patients also developed damage to their blood vessels, while a significant number also developed pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lung). These other impacts must also be considered when studying and determining the cause of death related to COVID-19.
Thrombosis occurs when a clump of blood changes from a liquid form to a semi-solid form (called a 'blood clot' or 'thrombus'), and then becomes big enough to partially or fully block the regular flow of blood in veins or arteries. In some severe cases of COVID-19, thrombosis can happen, which prevents blood from flowing normally in patients (despite many of taking blood thinners meant to prevent blood clots from occurring).
In some COVID-19 patients, thrombosis may contribute to causing respiratory (breathing) failure, kidney failure, heart attacks, strokes or other dangerous medical issues that can lead to death. Research studies have shown that thrombosis is a known complication of COVID-19 and is associated with an increased risk of death. More research is needed in this area to determine exactly why thrombosis may be occurring.
Recent analyses show that many hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who developed thrombosis also developed pneumonia and other lung and respiratory problems. Some patients also developed damage to their blood vessels, while a significant number also developed pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lung). These other impacts must also be considered when studying and determining the cause of death related to COVID-19.
Context and background
Since the emergence of COVID-19, new information comes out weekly that sheds light on the health impacts of the virus across the world. COVID-19 has been referred to as a blood vessel disease, as viral pneumonia, and has been linked with a wide set of symptoms like "COVID toes," delirium, and people losing their sense of taste and smell. However, one issue continues to gain attention in the media is the presence of blood clots in infected patients, and how severe they appear to be.
Since scientists and healthcare professionals have learned more about the virus, it has become clear that blood clots may be a significant cause of negative health outcomes in COVID-19 patients, potentially causing or contributing to harmful and even lethal impacts. As we continue to gain more information about the impacts of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients, treatment protocols and medication options may also, hopefully, continue to improve so that the medical consequences of these clots will have less severe effects on people infected with the virus.
Since the emergence of COVID-19, new information comes out weekly that sheds light on the health impacts of the virus across the world. COVID-19 has been referred to as a blood vessel disease, as viral pneumonia, and has been linked with a wide set of symptoms like "COVID toes," delirium, and people losing their sense of taste and smell. However, one issue continues to gain attention in the media is the presence of blood clots in infected patients, and how severe they appear to be.
Since scientists and healthcare professionals have learned more about the virus, it has become clear that blood clots may be a significant cause of negative health outcomes in COVID-19 patients, potentially causing or contributing to harmful and even lethal impacts. As we continue to gain more information about the impacts of thrombosis in COVID-19 patients, treatment protocols and medication options may also, hopefully, continue to improve so that the medical consequences of these clots will have less severe effects on people infected with the virus.
Resources
- Complement associated microvascular injury and thrombosis in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 infection: A report of five cases (PMC)
- What Is Known About COVID-19 and Abnormal Blood Clotting (Weill Cornell Medicine)
- Pulmonary embolism in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (ERJ)
- Incidence of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (NIH)
- Incidence of thrombotic complications in critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19 (TR)
- Thrombosis and COVID-19 pneumonia: the clot thickens! (ERJ)
- COVID-19 and Blood Clots (HMS)
- Thrombosis in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in a New York City Health System (JAMA)
- COVID-19 and its implications for thrombosis and anticoagulation (Blood)
- Blood vessel attack could trigger coronavirus’ fatal ‘second phase’ (Science)
- Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome: Results From a Prospective, Single-Center, Clinicopathologic Case Series (AIM)
- Autopsies Indicate Blood Clots Are Lethal in COVID-19 (The Scientist)
- Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome (AIM)
- Incidence and mortality of pulmonary embolism in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis (CC)
- Pulmonary embolism (Mayo Clinic)
- Thromboembolism risk of COVID-19 is high and associated with a higher risk of mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Lancet)
- Complement associated microvascular injury and thrombosis in the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 infection: A report of five cases (PMC)
- What Is Known About COVID-19 and Abnormal Blood Clotting (Weill Cornell Medicine)
- Pulmonary embolism in patients with COVID-19 pneumonia (ERJ)
- Incidence of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (NIH)
- Incidence of thrombotic complications in critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19 (TR)
- Thrombosis and COVID-19 pneumonia: the clot thickens! (ERJ)
- COVID-19 and Blood Clots (HMS)
- Thrombosis in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 in a New York City Health System (JAMA)
- COVID-19 and its implications for thrombosis and anticoagulation (Blood)
- Blood vessel attack could trigger coronavirus’ fatal ‘second phase’ (Science)
- Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome: Results From a Prospective, Single-Center, Clinicopathologic Case Series (AIM)
- Autopsies Indicate Blood Clots Are Lethal in COVID-19 (The Scientist)
- Pulmonary Arterial Thrombosis in COVID-19 With Fatal Outcome (AIM)
- Incidence and mortality of pulmonary embolism in COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis (CC)
- Pulmonary embolism (Mayo Clinic)
- Thromboembolism risk of COVID-19 is high and associated with a higher risk of mortality: A systematic review and meta-analysis (Lancet)
