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Blood clot formation

Blood clotting normally can be triggered by damage to a blood vessel. Platelets, tiny cells in the blood, immediately begin to adhere to the damaged part of the vessel and release chemicals to attract even more platelets. A platelet plug is formed, and the external bleeding stops.

Next, small molecules, called clotting factors, cause strands of blood-borne materials, called fibrin, to stick together and seal the inside of the wound. Eventually, the damaged blood vessel heals, and the blood clot dissolves after a few days.

Reviewed last on: 5/7/2009
Todd Gersten, MD, Hematology/Oncology, Palm Beach Cancer Institute, West Palm Beach, FL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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