Formation of a blood clot in a vein
Normal blood flow
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slide 1 of 3, Normal blood flow,
Normally, one-way valves in the veins keep blood flowing to the heart.
Blood clot forming
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slide 2 of 3, Blood clot forming,
A blood clot can form when the valve in a vein does not work properly. If the valve does not open normally, blood cells can collect behind the valve and begin to stick together to form a clot.
Formed blood clot
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slide 3 of 3, Formed blood clot,
When a blood clot gets large enough, it can stop the flow of blood in the vein.
Current as of: December 19, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Anne C. Poinier MD - Internal Medicine & Martin J. Gabica MD - Family Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Jeffrey S. Ginsberg MD - Hematology
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