Popular Nollywood actor and comedian, John Okafor, popularly known as Mr Ibu, passed on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at Evercare Hospital in Lagos.

The 62-year-old veteran actor, who was loved for his comic roles in movies and skits, reportedly died from a blood clot that traveled to his heart, causing a heart attack.

Coagulation, also known as clotting, is the process by which blood changes from a liquid to a gel, forming a blood clot. It potentially results in hemostasis, the cessation of blood loss from a damaged vessel, followed by repair.

The mechanism of coagulation involves activation, adhesion and aggregation of platelets, as well as deposition and maturation of fibrin.

Coagulation begins almost instantly after an injury to the endothelium lining a blood vessel. Exposure of blood to the subendothelial space initiates two processes: changes in platelets, and the exposure of subendothelial tissue factor to plasma factor VII, which ultimately leads to cross-linked fibrin formation.

Platelets immediately form a plug at the site of injury; this is called primary hemostasis. Secondary hemostasis occurs simultaneously: additional coagulation (clotting) factors beyond factor VII (listed below) respond in a cascade to form fibrin strands, which strengthen the platelet plug.

Disorders of coagulation are disease states which can result in problems with hemorrhage, bruising, or thrombosis.

Coagulation is highly conserved throughout biology. In all mammals, coagulation involves both cellular components (platelets) and proteinaceous components (here, coagulation factors).

That transformation (coagulation) happens to stop damaged blood vessels from leaking blood, either at the skin or inside the body. A type of blood cell called platelets and proteins called clotting factors work together to form clots and stop bleeding.

Normally, blood clots safely dissolve, or break up, when they’re no longer needed. Occasionally, though, clots block blood vessels or travel through them to a different part of the body. These clots are called emboli.

What Causes Blood Clots?

Blood clots form as the body’s way of stopping bleeding from damaged blood vessels and promoting healing. They can develop in response to an injury or the trauma your body experiences during surgeries or other medical procedures. They can also form because of damage to arteries called atherosclerosis.

Blood clots can also linger, or form even when you haven’t been injured. The chances of developing these unusual blood clots can rise for a number of reasons, with some factors introducing higher risk than others:

Age, with people over 60 at higher risk

Blood clotting disorders, either inherited from parents or acquired after birth for other reasons

Certain medical conditions, including atrial fibrillation, cancer, chronic inflammation, diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), high cholesterol, and obesity

Estrogen, either from pregnancy, birth control, or hormone-replacement therapy

Inactivity, such as bed rest or being confined during travel

Pregnancy, which raises clotting factors to control expected bleeding

Smoking

Blood Clot Symptoms

When blood clots normally, you usually don’t notice it. If clots do not dissolve as they should or move to areas where they can cause problems, you can develop symptoms.

Blood clot signs you may experience vary by location:

Arms and legs: Pain or tenderness, swelling, or warm feeling

Brain: Trouble speaking; vision changes; sudden, strong headache; dizziness; or weakness in face, arms, or legs

Heart: Pain in the chest or other part of the upper body, breathing difficulties, sweating, nausea, or light-headedness

Lungs: Chest pain, difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeat, sweating, fever, or coughing up blood

How to Diagnose Blood Clots

Doctors use several methods to find suspected blood clots and determine the possible cause:

Physical exam and discussion: The doctor will check your body and ask about your history of clotting, as well as your risk factors.

Blood work: Tests can evaluate various aspects of blood, including levels of clotting factors and each blood cell type.

Imaging: Special forms of ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) can help doctors locate the clot.