What is the difference between arterial and venous thrombosis?

The difference between arterial and venous thrombosis primarily revolves around the underlying mechanisms and consequences of each type. Arterial thrombosis typically leads to ischemia, which is a lack of blood supply to tissues, resulting in injury or necrosis due to the obstruction of blood flow in the arteries. This can occur in various conditions such as heart attacks or strokes, where the blood supply to critical organs is compromised.

In contrast, venous thrombosis is often associated with stasis and swelling. This occurs because blood flow in veins is generally slower, especially in areas where blood can pool due to prolonged inactivity or other factors. When a thrombus forms in a vein, it can obstruct blood return to the heart, leading to swelling in the affected limb and, in severe cases, complications such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism.

Thus, the correct choice highlights the primary consequences of each type of thrombosis: ischemia in arterial cases due to blood flow obstruction and stasis followed by swelling in venous cases due to slowed blood return to the heart.