The key difference between atheroma and thrombus is that atheroma is a fatty material that builds up inside the arteries, while a thrombus is a blood clot that builds up in the arteries or veins.
Atheroma and thrombus are two types of deposits that can build up in the circulatory system, disrupting blood flow and potentially leading to a range of circulatory disorders and life-threatening complications, including heart disease. Treatment options for these conditions may include surgeries, medications, or lifestyle changes, depending on the severity and location of the deposits.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Atheroma
3. What is Thrombus
4. Similarities – Atheroma and Thrombus
5. Atheroma vs Thrombus in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Atheroma vs Thrombus
What is Atheroma?
Atheroma is a fatty material that builds up inside the arteries. This process of forming atheroma is called atherosclerosis. Atheroma is normally made up of cholesterol, proteins, and other substances (blood cells, calcium, and inflammatory cells) which circulate in the circulatory system. Over time atheroma can grow and may lead to coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and heart attack or stroke. Atheroma is normally known as atherosclerotic plaque. It forms along the inside lining of the arteries and interrupts the blood flow in the human body. Atheroma forms due to damage in the inner lining of the arteries. The risk factors for this atherosclerosis are rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, high-fat diet, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, older age, smoking, and tobacco use. The signs and symptoms of atherosclerosis include chest pain, cold sweat, dizziness, extreme tiredness, heart palpitation, shortness of breath, nausea, and weakness.
Atheroma formation can be diagnosed through blood tests, electrocardiograms, heart imaging tests, coronary calcium scans, stress tests, and ankle-brachial index (ABI) tests. Furthermore, treatment options for atherosclerosis include medicines to lower cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots, diabetes, and surgeries to improve blood flow.
What is Thrombus?
Thrombus is a blood clot that builds up in the arteries or veins. This is a normal process in wound healing, but when it happens abnormally, it causes problems. The process of thrombus formation is called thrombosis. Thrombus attaches to the site at which it normally forms and hinders blood flow. The symptoms of the thrombus in arteries and veins include unstable angina, chest pain, ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial limb ischemia, pain, swelling and tenderness in the calf, aching and warmth of the skin in the affected area, red skin at the back of the leg below the knee. The risk factors for thrombus formation are tobacco use, high cholesterol, obesity, cancer, diabetes, stress, and an inactive lifestyle.
Thrombus formation can be diagnosed through duplex ultrasound, D dimer test, venography, MRI scan, CT scans, and VQ scan. Furthermore, treatment options for thrombosis include surgery, inferior vena cava filters, anticoagulants, compression stockings, raising the affected legs, and exercises.
What are the Similarities Between Atheroma and Thrombus?
- Atheroma and thrombus build up in the circulatory system.
- Both conditions can disturb the normal blood flow in the circulatory system.
- They can cause diseases and life-threatening complications such as heart disease.
- Both these conditions may present with similar symptoms, such as chest pain and swelling.
- Both conditions can be diagnosed through imaging scanning.
- They are treated through specific medications and surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Atheroma and Thrombus?
Atheroma is a fatty material that builds up inside the arteries, while a thrombus is a blood clot that builds up in the arteries or veins. Thus, this is the key difference between atheroma and thrombus. Furthermore, an atheroma is formed due to damage in the inner lining of the arteries, while a thrombus is formed due to the deregulation of the clotting process.
The below infographic presents the differences between atheroma and thrombus in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Atheroma vs Thrombus
Atheroma and thrombus build up in the circulatory system, and they disturb the normal blood flow in the circulatory system. They may present with similar symptoms such as chest pain and swelling, etc. However, an atheroma is a fatty material that builds up inside the arteries, while a thrombus is a blood clot that builds up in the arteries or veins. So, this summarises the difference between atheroma and thrombus.
Reference:
1. “Atheroma: What It Is, Causes and Treatment.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. “Thrombus.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Atheroma” By Manu5 – Scientific Animations (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Blood clot diagram” By en:User: Persian Poet Gal – (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia