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

Tag: Stroke

  • How Long is the Post-Partum Period in Respect to Thrombosis Risk?

    Stephan Moll, MD writes… A recent NEJM study (ref 1) examined whether the risk for thrombosis in women persists beyond the first 6 weeks after delivery.  It found that an increased risk persists for at least 3 months after delivery, although the absolute risk was low after the first 6 weeks.  This is of clinical…

  • PFO (Patent Foramen Ovale)

    A discussion of PFO and paradoxical embolism, written for patients, is available on the Clot Connect Patient blog- connect here.  The health care professional can refer his/her patient to the information on PFO in that blog . The blog also contains images suitable for patients to understand the etiology of  paradoxical embolism:

  • PFO = Patent Foramen Ovale

    Anatomy Some people have a “hole in the heart”, called a “patent foramen ovale” (PFO). This is a connection between the right and the left chamber (atrium) of the heart. We are all born with it – the unborn needs this connection for proper blood circulation. In most people the hole closes in the first…

  • Sinus and Cerebral Vein Thrombosis

    Summary Sinus and cerebral vein clots are uncommon. They can lead to severe headaches, confusion, and stroke-like symptoms. They may lead to bleeding into the surrounding brain tissues. The clot can be triggered by infections of the ear, face, or neck, by estrogen use and pregnancy, and can be caused by inherited and acquired clotting…

  • Unexplained Arterial Thrombosis – Causes, Thrombophilia Testing

    Causes The 2 main causes of arterial thromboembolism are certainly arteriosclerosis and atrial fibriallation. Only uncommonly do arterial clots occur in persons less than 40 or 50 years of age who do not have arteriosclerosis or atrial fibrillation.  Under these circumstances, a number of uncommon conditions, including  thrombophilias, should be considered and investigated (see table 1: Causes and work-up).

  • Unexplained Arterial Clots – Causes, Thrombophilia Testing

    Background, anatomy Arteries are the blood vessels that lead blood away from the heart into the periphery, i.e. to the extremities, the brain, the abdominal and pelvic organs. They deliver oxygen to organs and muscles. Veins lead the blood back to the heart, from where it flows into the lung to take up fresh oxygen.…

  • Vitamin E – Caution: Bleeding Risk

    Summary A recent summary of all published good quality trials (randomized, placebo-controlled) shows that taking vitamin E supplements slightly increases a person’s risk for bleeding into the brain (reference 1). My conclusions:  (a) I caution against the use of daily vitamin E supplementation, and (b) I advise against the use of vitamin E in patients who are already…