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Updated: May 19, 2026

Interventional Diagnostic Procedure: A Practical Guide for the Assessment of Coronary Vascular Function
Published on: March 15, 2022
Pathophysiology of coronary thrombus formation and adverse consequences of thrombus during PCI
Sundararajan Srikanth1, John A Ambrose
1Interventional Cardiology Fellow, UCSF Fresno, CA, USA.
Insights
Atherosclerosis involves inflammation and thrombosis, potentially causing acute coronary syndromes and complications during interventions. Understanding coronary thrombogenesis is key to managing these vascular events.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Science
- Pathophysiology
- Interventional Cardiology
Background:
- Atherosclerosis is a systemic vascular disease driven by endothelial dysfunction and inflammation.
- Vascular inflammation promotes atherosclerosis and intravascular thromboses.
- Thrombotic events in coronary arteries can lead to severe outcomes like acute coronary syndromes or sudden cardiac death.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the pathophysiology of coronary thrombogenesis.
- To explore complications associated with thrombus during coronary interventions.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of pathophysiology and clinical correlations.
- Analysis of thrombotic events in acute coronary syndromes and percutaneous coronary interventions.
Main Results:
- Thrombus in acute coronary syndromes is linked to periprocedural complications (no-reflow, occlusion) and long-term issues (stent thrombosis).
- Coronary thrombogenesis is a critical factor in the progression and manifestation of atherosclerotic disease.
Conclusions:
- Understanding coronary thrombogenesis is crucial for managing atherosclerosis and its complications.
- Effective management of thrombus during coronary interventions is essential to improve patient outcomes.
Abstract:
Atherosclerosis is a systemic vascular pathology that is preceded by endothelial dysfunction. Vascular inflammation "fuels" atherosclerosis and creates the milieu for episodes of intravascular thromboses. Thrombotic events in the coronary vasculature may lead to asymptomatic progression of atherosclerosis or could manifest as acute coronary syndromes or even sudden cardiac death. Thrombus encountered in the setting of acute coronary syndromes has been correlated with acute complications during percutaneous coronary interventions such as no-reflow, acute coronary occlusion and long term complications such as stent thrombus. This article reviews the pathophysiology of coronary thrombogenesis and explores the complications associated with thrombus during coronary interventions.
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