Today is World Thrombosis Day. On this day, someone to remember is Rudolf Virchow [1821-1902], a German physician, pathologist and politician, referred by his colleagues as the “Pope of Medicine.” His famous postulate: that for blood to clot, three factors are needed -- stagnation, injury to vessel wall and abnormalities in clotting mechanism -- remains unchallenged to this day.

Understanding clotting

Clotting is important because it can be symptomless and yet cause sudden death. Clotting in the veins of the legs - acute deep vein thrombosis in medical terms - which sometimes floats its way to the lungs ( pulmonary embolism ) is the most preventable cause of hospital deaths and a source of substantial long-term morbidity. About 120 of every 1 lakh persons are affected by this malady.

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