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Laboratory thrombophilias and venous thromboembolismCardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA, sgoldhaber{at}partners.org Inherited abnormalities of coagulation are increasingly recognized in patients with venous thromboembolism. Common causes of hypercoagulability, also known as thrombophilia, include factor V Leiden, the prothrombin gene mutation, hyperhomocysteinemia, and antiphospholipid antibodies. Thrombophilia should be suspected in patients who develop idiopathic venous thromboembolism at a young age, recurrent thrombosis, thromboses at unusual sites, recurrent unexplained pregnancy loss, or if there is a family history of thrombotic disorders. The most cost-effective approach is to initially screen for factor V Leiden, the prothrombin gene mutation, hyperhomocysteinemia, and antiphospholipid antibodies because these are the most common defects causing thrombophilia. Long-term anticoagulation is controversial but should be considered if unprovoked venous thromboembolism recurs.
Key Words: genetic hypercoagulability inherited thrombophilia venous thromboembolism
Vascular Medicine, Vol. 7, No. 2,
93-102 (2002) This article has been cited by other articles:
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