What is Coronary Thrombosis?

by Dr. Ian Guerrero

Coronary thrombosis in general terms is the blockage of blood flow and circulation to the coronary arteries that supplies essential nutrients and oxygen to the muscles and surrounding structures of the heart.

This can be caused by almost anything that can narrow it most commonly from fatty build-up, uncontrolled hypertension causing spasms of the coronary arteries, metabolic abnormalities like diabetes, high cholesterol levels, and less common ones like blood disorders with high platelets and high red blood cells causing very highly sticky or viscous blood.

The common result of this is cutting off the very essential nutrients and oxygen that the heart needs leading it to fail eventually and cause someone to suffer from heart attack and heart failure.

The symptom of coronary thrombosis includes most commonly chest pain at rest and in activity, less commonly shortness of breath, getting tired easily even when walking, and abdominal pain which are common among women.

Coronary artery thrombosis can be either chronic or acute (sudden). Chronic means the arteries have been blocked for several months to years while acute means it happened suddenly leading to acute heart attack, from minutes to hours and less than a week.

Whether it is acute or chronic the symptoms will be the same. It is especially important to recognize the symptoms of coronary thrombosis and immediately seek medical attention.

If left unattended, this might lead you to develop a heart attack leading to heart failure and worst, even death. The complication of coronary thrombosis like acute heart attack is the leading cause of ED visits hospitalization and even death in the US and worldwide.

The treatment of coronary thrombosis would include medications like aspirin, metoprolol, and cholesterol pills just to name a few. It can be mechanically treated by putting a coronary stent, and coronary artery bypass surgery. But what is more important and to be emphasized is prevention.

This can be accomplished by employing a healthy diet and lifestyle including exercise, making sure diabetes and hypertension are under control, and having regular wellness checks with your primary care physician.

As the famous adage says, “An ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure.”

DR. IAN GUERRERO is a board-certified Internal Medicine physician and current President of the Ohana Medical Missions, Inc.