If a blood clot forms, it can stop the blood flow. This can cause a heart attack or stroke. A heart attack occurs when the blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked by a blood clot. If this clot cuts off the blood flow completely, the part of the heart muscle supplied by that artery begins to die.
Digestion works by moving food through the GI tract. Digestion begins in the mouth with chewing and ends in the small intestine. As food passes through the GI tract, it mixes with digestive juices, causing large molecules of food to break down into smaller molecules.
The duodenum produces many hormones that help regulate digestion. Liver bile and pancreatic secretions are added to the bowel through the ampulla of Vater. The actual passage and presence of food in the duodenum starts the flow of hormones, bile and pancreatic secretions. By the time food leaves the duodenum most of the ingredients necessary for digestion have been added.