Blood Clotting

Subject – Science and Tech

Context – Blood clotting may be root cause of long Covid

Concept –

Clotting is a necessary process that can prevent too much loss of blood when there is cut or injury.
A blood clot is a clump of blood that has changed from a liquid to a gel-like or semisolid state.
Blood clots are healthy and lifesaving when they stop bleeding. But unnecessary clotting causes serious medical problems which include a heart attack, stroke, etc.
An injury or a trauma stimulates the platelets (also called thrombocytes)in the blood to release certain factors which activate the mechanism of clotting.
- Calcium ions, Fibrinogens, a protein and Vitamin K are also needed for clotting.

History of Blood Clotting Diseases:

The 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, caused by a novel strain of influenza, was also linked to downstream damage from clots that could end lives dramatically.
Viruses including HIV, dengue and Ebola are all known to make blood cells prone to clumping.
The pro-clotting effect may be even more pronounced in patients with the coronavirus.