This medical illustration displays the cross sectional view of an artery with a plaque rupture, resulting in an acute occlusion. The plaque ruptures with a piece of plaque broken off from the upper wall falling to rest in the bottom of the vessel lumen. Blood cells, platelets, and fibrin clotting factors then gather around the broken chunk of plaque to form an initial clot. The clot then expands into a large thrombus and completely occludes the artery.
