Factor V Leiden is an inherited condition with a risk of thrombosis. Heterozygous If you have one parent with the mutation and you have inherited factor V Leiden from them, your risk of a blood clot is 5 to 7 times higher than normal. Homozygous If both parents have Factor V Leiden and you have inherited two copies of the mutation, your risk of a blood clot is 40 … [Read more...]
Factor V Leiden and the Pill
The oral contraceptive was first introduced in the US in 1960. Within two years, over a million women in the US were taking the “pill” as a safe, effective form of contraception. The use snowballed, and hundreds of millions of women now use oral contraceptives. Some regard it as the most socially significant advance in modern medicine as it gave women reproductive … [Read more...]
Factor V Leiden – What is factor V Leiden?
In the last two posts, I discussed how factor V works and how Protein C controls its activity. In this post, I will look at the difference between Factor V and Factor V Leiden. What is Factor V Leiden? Factor V Leiden is an alternative form of Factor V caused by a small mutation in the factor V gene. First, I will take you through some basic genetics to help you … [Read more...]
Factor V Leiden – What is Factor V?
In my introductory post about Factor V Leiden, I discussed how this is an inherited condition and relatively common affecting around 4% of people of European decent. In this post I will take you through some of the basics of clotting to help you understand why Factor V Leiden increases your risk of clots. Factor V Factor V Leiden is an abnormal form of the clotting … [Read more...]
Pulmonary Embolism recovery looks like this.
"I used to go running. Will I ever be able to again?" and "Will I ever get back to normal?" are just two of the questions Paul's been asked by people who've had a pulmonary embolism. Recovery can be very variable and may take a long time, but for inspiration, look to Serena Williams! This #1 ranked female tennis player had a pulmonary embolism back in March 2011. She had … [Read more...]
“Am I being silly doctor?” – 5 life-threatening concerns
When you’re on anticoagulants, you may have concerns that you’re not quite sure if you should be bothering your doctor with. My patients often bring up these concerns towards the end of a visit and start by saying, “Am I being silly doctor?” I feel that even though my work as a haematologist can be very busy, answering a patient’s questions is a core part of my job, so I’d … [Read more...]
Longer flights; more clots – the evidence
Paul’s last post had recommendations for travel after having a clot. For those of you who want to know more of the science behind it, and are willing to decipher a bit of medical jargon, we are bringing you a review of a medical paper which showed a link between distance flown and likelihood of having a pulmonary embolus. Where’s the study from? It’s a … [Read more...]