Thrombophilia
Thrombophilia is a tendency for the blood to clot too easily, causing both an increased risk of deep venous thrombosis and of arterial thrombosis and heart attack. It may be inherited - the commonest cause being a defect the gene for Factor V (the so-called Leiden factor) of the coagulation cascade - people with a family history of spontaneous blood clots may well consider being screened. This is particularly true of women intending to take the oral contraceptive, since those who are Leiden factor positive have a greatly increased risk of blood clots.
Or thrombophilia may be acquired, as in the anti-phospholipid syndrome where there are antibodies to phopholipids. This can result in multiple episodes of thrombosis and, in women, recurrent miscarriages. Low dose aspirin may help. Why we should mount an antibody attack against our own phospholipid is unclear.
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