A Clearinghouse for Information about Blood Clots (DVT/)PE) and Clotting Disorders (thrombophilia) provided as a public service by the University of North Carolina Blood Research Center

Category: Clotting disorder – thrombophilia

  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Can the New Oral Anticoagulants Be Used?

    Stephan Moll, MD and Damon Houghton, MD write … In patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) who require anticoagulation for the treatment of DVT or PE, warfarin or a low molecular weight heparin have traditionally been used. A question that comes up is whether one of the new oral anticoagulants (DOACs) can be effectively and safely…

  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome: Can the New Oral Anticoagulants Be Used?

    Stephan Moll, MD and Damon Houghton, MD write … In patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) who require anticoagulation for the treatment of DVT or PE, warfarin or a low molecular weight heparin have traditionally been used. A question that comes up is whether one of the new oral anticoagulants (DOACs) can be effectively and safely…

  • Thrombophilia – Information Handout for Patients

    Stephan Moll, MD writes… An information article on various aspects of thrombophilia, written for patients and family members, was published today – available here – as a Vascular Disease Patient Information Page in the journal Vascular Medicine.  It addresses (a) in which patient with venous thromboembolism to consider thrombophilia  testing, (b) what tests might be appropriate to do, (c) how the test results…

  • Thrombophilia Testing – Reliable on Anticoagulants?

    Stephan Moll, MD writes…  The decision how long to treat a patient with venous thromboembolism (VTE) with anticoagulants can often be made based on the patient’s history alone, i.e. the circumstances of the VTE event (provoked versus unprovoked).  Often, no thrombophilia testing is needed.  However, if one were to do thrombophilia testing, what is the…

  • Blood or Organ Donation: Being on Blood Thinners or Having a Thrombophilia

     “I am on warfarin (Coumadin®).  Can I donate blood?”  No.  A person on a blood thinner (anticoagulant), like warfarin, will not be accepted as a blood donor

  • Thrombophilia and Insurance

    Liz Varga, Certified Genetic Counselor, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus OH writes…. Some people may have concerns about genetic testing for clotting disorders (thrombophilias) for fear of genetic discrimination.  Fortunately in the United States, we have laws in place that can alleviate this concern.

  • Protein C Deficiency

    Inherited protein C deficiency is considered a stronger thrombophilia. It increases the risk for venous and arterial thromboembolism, and possibly for early and late pregnancy loss and other adverse pregnancy outcomes (preeclampsia, IUGR, placental abruption).  There are 2 major causes for low protein C values:

  • Protein C Deficiency

    What is Protein C? Protein C is a protein in our blood stream, which prevents blood from clotting too much.  It’s a sort of police protein that keeps our clotting in check.  If protein C levels are low, a person will have a tendency to clot more easily.  Elevated levels of protein C, on the…