Secondly, the spill‐over of pro‐inflammatory mediators from the COPD lungs into the vasculature may causes the adhesion of activated platelets to the arterial wall and collagen fibres, via the up‐regulation of CD41, CD62p (p‐selectin) and von Willebrand factor (Jennings, 2009). Here, VWF is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.