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ABC Medical Center > Factor V Leiden

What is Factor V Leiden?

16:52 - 1 December , 2023

Disease

It is a genetic abnormality that affects a blood coagulation factor, increasing the possibility of forming thrombi, mainly in the lungs or lower limbs, which can become high-risk and life-threatening.

Although Factor V Leiden can appear in anyone, women have a higher incidence of clot formation, especially if they are pregnant. There is a low risk of forming blood clots if they have one copy of the abnormal gene, although if they have two copies, one from the father and one from the mother, the risks increase significantly.

A series of situations have been identified in which the risk of forming blood clots increases if you have Factor V Leiden, including:

  • Spending long periods without moving.
  • Oral contraceptives.
  • Hormone replacement therapy
  • Pregnancy.
  • Surgical procedures.
  • Fractures.

Signs and symptoms Factor V Leiden

While some clots do not cause problems and break up without treatment, others are life-threatening, such as:

Deep vein thrombosis:

  • Clots usually appear in the lower limbs.
  • Pain.
  • Inflammatory processes.
  • Redness.
  • Heat in the affected area.

Lung clot:

It occurs when the thrombus breaks off and reaches the lungs, hindering blood circulation and causing:

  • Sudden breathing complications.
  • Sore chest.
  • Coughing fits with blood.
  • Tachycardia.

Diagnosis and treatment Factor V Leiden

Once your doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, they will perform a physical examination and request blood and genetic tests to find out if you have Factor V Leiden.

The treatment to follow will depend on whether you suffer from abnormal thrombus, so you will be prescribed anticoagulants if applicable.

If you have never had previous clots, you will not have to take anticoagulants permanently, but if you will undergo surgery the following will be recommended for prevention:

  • Temporary administration of anticoagulants.
  • Use of special bandages on the legs.
  • Compression socks.
  • After surgery, keep moving your legs and take short walks.

At the Cardiovascular Center, we offer you a wide range of prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and follow-up services to take care of you through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary care model. Come to us, we want to hear your heart.

Related centers and departments

Cardiovascular Center
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

  • secardiologia.es
  • topdoctors.es
  • cun.es
  • fundaciondelcorazon.com
  • msdmanuals.com
  • mayoclinic.org
  • texasheart.org
  • medigraphic.org
  • Parra-Ortega I, López-Valladares KE, Angeles-Floriano T, et al. La existencia de las mutaciones Leiden del factor V y G20210A de la protrombina es infrecuente en pacientes pediátricos mexicanos con hemofilia A grave. Rev Hematol Mex. 2019;20(3):198-203.
  • Vargas-Ruiz ÁG. Hereditary thrombophilias: The profile of necessary tests. Rev Hematol Mex. 2019;20(2):79-85.
  • Zavala-Hernández C, Hernández-Zamora E, Martínez-Murillo C, et al. Asociación de la RPCA con mutaciones Leiden y Cambridge del factor V de la coagulación en pacientes mexicanos con trombofilia primaria. Cir Cir. 2010;78(2):131-136.
  • Villagómez-Figueroa, Oscar; Infante-Sierra H, Marquina-Ramírez M, et al. Deep vein thrombosis associated to mutation in factor V Leiden, MTHFR and May-Thurner syndrome. Med Int Mex. 2022;38(4):933-941.

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