ABSTRACT
Thromboembolic (TE) disease can result when normal hemostatic mechanisms are disturbed. A thrombus is a locally formed (in situ) clot or aggregation of platelets and other blood elements that partially or completely obstructs blood flow either in a vessel or in the heart. An embolus is a clot or other aggregate that breaks away from its origination site and is carried by blood flow until it lodges in a smaller vessel1. Any part of the body may be affected, but most clinically recognized TE events involve the distal aorta, pulmonary arteries, heart, or cranial vena cava. Both emboli and thrombi occur concurrently in some individuals.
