Scientific Reviews Thrombotic risk factors: Basic pathophysiology

Although venous thromboem-bolism is a common disease,underlying pathogenic mech-anisms are only partially known, particularly in comparison to those of atherothrombosis. During the past decades, progress has been made in the identification and characterization of the cellular and molecular mecha-nisms that interdependently influence Virchow’s triad. It is now accepted that the combination of stasis and hyperco-agulability, much more than endothelial damage and activation, are crucial for the occurrence of venous thrombosis; venous thrombi are mainly constituted by fibrin and red blood cell, and less by platelets. In contrast, platelets are essential for pri