What Is a Clotting Disorder?

Blood Clotting Has Many Influencers

Thrombophilia is a term used to describe a group of conditions in which there is an increased tendency to develop a blood clot. These conditions may be inherited (part of our genes and present at birth) or acquired (the result of other triggers such as obesity, illness, medications, injury, or pregnancy, etc.).

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, between 5% and 8% of the U.S. population has a clotting disorder. Identifying an underlying clotting condition has important implications for your life and medical care.

INCREASED RISK OF BLOOD CLOTTING

The presence of an inherited clotting disorder does not automatically mean you will develop a blood clot in your lifetime. An inherited clotting disorder means your risk of developing a blood clot is much higher than the unaffected population, particularly in high-risk situations.

The risk of blood clots is higher in individuals who have several risk factors for clotting. For example, a person with an inherited clotting condition Factor V Leiden, protein S deficiency, protein C deficiency, or antithrombin deficiency who also has other risk factors such as pregnancy, oral contraceptive use, or high levels of homocysteine or factor VIII is at a higher risk for developing a clot than an individual with a single risk factor.