Arterial Thrombus
An “arterial thrombus” is a blood clot that forms in one of the arteries of the body. Blood clots forming in the blood vessels serving the heart cause heart attacks; those that develop in or travel to the blood vessels in the brain are responsible for strokes. Each year, more than one million Americans experience a heart attack, and nearly half of them are fatal. Stroke is the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of death for women and men. Each year, nearly 700 000 Americans experience either their first or second stroke, and more than 20% of them are fatal. More women than men have strokes, and they are more likely to die as a result. The problem is particularly serious in black Americans.
(Source: American Heart Association, Circulation 2005)
