Restricted blood vessel diagram

Three Factors of Inherited Clotting Risk

The formation of blood clots in the veins is associated with three risk factors, known as Virchow’s triad. These risk factors are:

  • Damage to blood vessels

  • Excessive clotting ability (hypercoagulability)

  • Pooling of blood (stasis)

In clotting diseases, the causes of clotting may be related to:

  • High levels of clotting proteins

  • Too few proteins to turn clotting off once it has started

  • Slow cleanup of the clot once it is no longer required

In addition, problems with the size and shape of a blood vessel contribute to the development of clots. Over the past 30 years, our understanding of the mechanisms that lead to clotting and clotting disorders and their treatment has significantly improved.

Learn more about inherited causes of clotting

Learn more about acquired causes of clotting