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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffFactor V Leiden can be associated with a variety of serious and potentially serious clotting complications, including:
- Pregnancy complications. Although most women with factor V Leiden have normal pregnancies, the mutation has been linked with an increased risk of miscarriage and possibly other complications during pregnancy, including pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (preeclampsia), slow fetal growth and early separation of the placenta from the uterine wall (placental abruption). If you're a woman with factor V Leiden and you get pregnant, be sure your doctor monitors you carefully throughout your pregnancy.
- Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). People with factor V Leiden have an increased risk of developing DVT compared with someone without the mutation, though the overall risk of developing DVT is still low.
- Pulmonary embolism. DVT puts you at risk of a clot breaking off and traveling to your lungs or, rarely, your brain. A pulmonary embolism can be fatal, so it's important to watch for signs and symptoms of a pulmonary embolism, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, and to seek prompt medical attention.
References
- Kujovich JL. Factor V Leiden thrombophilia. Genetic Medicine. 2011;13:1.
- Ornstein DL, et al. Factor V Leiden. Circulation. 2003;107:1.
- Learning about factor v Leiden thrombophilia. National Human Genome Research Institute. http://www.genome.gov/pfv.cfm?pageID=15015167. Accessed June 27, 2012.
- Deep vein thrombosis. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/print/cardiovascular_disorders/peripheral_venous_disorders/deep_venous_thrombosis_dvt.html. Accessed July 3, 2012.
- Pulmonary embolism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/pulmonary_disorders/pulmonary_embolism/pulmonary_embolism.html. Accessed July 3, 2012.
- Van Ommen HC, et al. Thrombophilia in childhood: To test or not to test. Seminars in Thrombosis and Hemostasis. 2011;37:794.
- Pradaxa [prescribing information]. Ridgefield, Conn.:Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 2012. http://bidocs.boehringer-ingelheim.com/BIWebAccess/ViewServlet.ser?docBase=renetnt&folderPath=/Prescribing%20Information/PIs/Pradaxa/Pradaxa.pdf. Accessed July 5, 2012.
- Xarelto [prescribing information]. Titusville, N.J.: Janssen Pharmaceuticals; 2011. http://www.xareltohcp.com/sites/default/files/pdf/xarelto_0.pdf#zoom=100. Accessed July 5, 2012.
- Eligibility criteria. American Red Cross. http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-alphabetical-listing. Accessed May 10, 2012.
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