Which components make up Virchow's triad for thrombosis?

Which components make up Virchow's triad for thrombosis?

• A. Age, gender, BMI
• B. Infection, immune reaction, inflammation
• C. Trauma, dehydration, smoking
• D. Damage to vessel wall, stasis, hypercoagulability

Answer: (D)

Virchow's triad describes the three main factors that promote thrombosis: damage to the vessel wall (endothelial injury), stasis or abnormal blood flow, and a hypercoagulable state. Endothelial injury exposes subendothelial collagen and tissue factor, which kick off platelet adhesion and the coagulation cascade, creating a platform for a clot to form. Stasis concentrates clotting factors and platelets, slows their washout, and reduces the removal of activated procoagulants, allowing a thrombus to develop more readily. A hypercoagulable state means the blood is unusually prone to clotting, due to genetic factors (like Factor V Leiden) or acquired conditions (such as cancer or certain hormones). Other listed factors are risk factors that can influence thrombosis—for example, age, gender, and BMI are broad risk modifiers; inflammation can promote coagulation; and dehydration or smoking can contribute to risk—but they are not the three components of the triad itself.

Virchow's triad describes the three main factors that promote thrombosis: damage to the vessel wall (endothelial injury), stasis or abnormal blood flow, and a hypercoagulable state. Endothelial injury exposes subendothelial collagen and tissue factor, which kick off platelet adhesion and the coagulation cascade, creating a platform for a clot to form. Stasis concentrates clotting factors and platelets, slows their washout, and reduces the removal of activated procoagulants, allowing a thrombus to develop more readily. A hypercoagulable state means the blood is unusually prone to clotting, due to genetic factors (like Factor V Leiden) or acquired conditions (such as cancer or certain hormones).

Other listed factors are risk factors that can influence thrombosis—for example, age, gender, and BMI are broad risk modifiers; inflammation can promote coagulation; and dehydration or smoking can contribute to risk—but they are not the three components of the triad itself.