WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE...

...between thrombosis and thrombolysis?

THROMBOSIS and thrombolysis are terms related to blood clotting within the body.

Thrombosis is when the normal blood-clotting process that stops a wound bleeding happens inside a blood vessel, leading to pain and swelling in the affected area, due to the blood flow stopping. Deepvein thrombosis is a type of thrombosis affecting the legs.

The problem can quickly become life-threatening if the clot breaks off and travels elsewhere in the body, such as to the lungs – known as a pulmonary embolism.

Similarly, if a clot forms in the arteries, known as arterial thrombosis, it can lead to heart attack and stroke.

Thrombolysis is a treatment given to disperse clots – usually via injections into the veins. It is often given to patients experiencing the first signs of a stroke.