Factor V Leiden - Symptoms and causes (2024)

FAQs

Factor V Leiden - Symptoms and causes? ›

The factor V Leiden mutation does not itself cause any symptoms. Since factor V Leiden is a risk for developing blood clots in the leg or lungs, the first indication that you have the disorder may be the development of an abnormal blood clot. Some clots do no damage and disappear on their own.

Factor V Leiden is an inherited blood clotting disorder that raises your risk of deep vein thrombosis or a pulmonary embolism. A mutation in your F5 gene causes this disorder, which follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern.

It is important that people with Factor V deficiency should not use Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen) as this greatly increases the risk of bleeding.

Factor V is a protein that is needed for blood to clot properly. Some people do not have the normal Factor V protein. Instead, they have an different form called factor V Leiden. This is caused by a change (mutation) in the gene for this protein.

Let doctors you see know that you have factor V Leiden. Wear medical alert jewelry that lists your clotting problem. You can buy it online or at most drugstores. Check with your doctor about whether you should use hormone forms of birth control or hormone therapy.

A family history of factor V Leiden increases your risk of inheriting the disorder. The disorder is most common in people who are white and of European descent. People who have inherited factor V Leiden from only one parent have a 5 percent chance of developing an abnormal blood clot by age 65.

Even people with two abnormal copies of the gene usually do not receive medication unless they have a history of a blood clot. Based on your age, it may be appropriate for you to be on aspirin, from the standpoint of your heart, regardless of the factor V Leiden.

Frequency. Factor V Leiden is the most common inherited form of thrombophilia. Between 3 and 8 percent of people with European ancestry carry one copy of the factor V Leiden mutation in each cell, and about 1 in 5,000 people have two copies of the mutation. The mutation is less common in other populations.

Which blood thinner is best for factor V Leiden? ›

For patients with confirmed deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, anticoagulant therapy with subcutaneous low molecular-weight heparin, monitored IV, or subcutaneous unfractionated heparin or fondaparinux can be used [5].

Factor V is converted to activated factor V by activated factor X and thrombin. Activated factor X and thrombin have proteolytic activity on factor V and removes a domain from factor V, converting it to activated factor V.

Yes, you can donate blood with Factor V Leiden as long as you don't have deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.

Factor V Leiden mutation is an inherited condition (i.e. from your parents). We inherited one copy of each gene from each of our parents. One (or both) of your parents will have passed the Factor V Leiden mutation on to you and you may pass the condition onto your children.

There are several controversies related to the importance of acquired or hereditary thrombophilias in development of long-haul flight-related VTE. However, the MEGA study found that long-haul passengers with factor V Leiden had around an eight times greater risk of developing DVT than passengers who do not.

Having 1 Factor V Leiden gene (heterozygous type) slightly increases the chance of developing a blood clot. Having 2 Factor V Leiden genes (hom*ozygous type) makes the risk much greater. Having Factor V Leiden does not appear to increase the chances of developing a heart attack or stroke.

Most people with Factor V Leiden do not form abnormal clots and require no treatment. If abnormal clots become an issue, "blood-thinning" medications, like Coumadin, can be used to impair the clotting system. This will halt growth of the clot and reduce the risk of future clots.

If you have factor V Leiden and have developed blood clots, anticoagulant medications can lessen your risk of developing additional blood clots and help you avoid potentially serious complications.

People with factor V Leiden thrombophilia have a higher than average risk of developing a type of blood clot called a deep venous thrombosis (DVT). DVTs occur most often in the legs, although they can also occur in other parts of the body, including the brain, eyes, liver, and kidneys.