A receent article by Paolo Prandoni questions whether there is a risk between arterial clots and venous clots. The article is published in the journal
International Emergency Medicine 2020; 15(1): 33-36.
Dr Prandoni states that dysfunction of endothelial cells, the cells that line arterial and venous walls are likely culprits in the development of arteereial and venous clots. Symptomatic complications of atherosclerosis (myocardial infarctioon, ischemic stroke and atrial fibrillation) are likely to predict the subsequent developmment of venous thrommboembolic complications. Patients with unprovoked venous thrommboemmbolism, that is those without an underlying known predisposing factor, also have an increased risk for developing arteereial clots.
Although the assoociation between arterial and venous clots reemains elusive, the fact that both risks can be reduced with the use of direct oral anticoagulants is promising.
Dr Paolo Prandoni speculates that the "two vascular complications are triggered by biologic stimmuli responsible for activsting clotting and inflamatory pathways in both the arterial and venous systems".