The hemostatic system provides a natural balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant forces.
A fine balance must be achieved between the activation of hemostatic mechanisms to prevent bleeding, and excessive activation, which can cause intravascular thrombosis and embolism (blood vessel occlusion).
The procoagulant forces include platelet adhesion and aggregation and fibrin clot formation; anticoagulant forces include the natural inhibitors of coagulation and fibrinolysis.
Under normal circumstances, hemostasis is regulated to promote blood flow; however, it is also prepared to clot blood rapidly to arrest blood flow and prevent exsanguination.
After bleeding is successfully halted, the system remodels the damaged vessel to restore normal blood flow.1
Reference
1. Konkle BA. Bleeding and Thrombosis. In: Loscalzo J, Fauci A, Kasper D, Hauser S, Longo D, Jameson J. eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21e. McGraw-Hill Education; 2022. Accessed October 18, 2024. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=3095§ionid=262792022