10/05/2022 / Heart & Vascular

Thick Blood (Hypercoagulability): Symptoms, Causes and How to Treat?

Thick blood disease is denoted by the attribute of hypercoagulability, Get informed about thick blood symptoms, causes and how to treat thick blood.

Thick Blood (Hypercoagulability): Symptoms, Causes and How to Treat?
Aastha MahapatraAastha Mahapatra
Aastha Mahapatra
M.Pharm, Research Associate
Medically Cited
Fact Checked

Table of Content 

Introduction

Thick blood is a disease which is indicated by the attribute of hypercoagulability which is the tendency of forming blood clots even without any bleeding. It is kind of an exaggerated tendency to form blood clots. Having thick blood means being at an excessive risk of developing blood clots. Thick blood may look like normal blood but it is made up of a combination of different cells, proteins and clotting factors. The imbalance in this standard combination of blood may lead to the development of lethal thick blood syndrome. The process of development of hypercoagulability due to thick blood is called as hypercoagulation. The disadvantages of thick blood include the damaging of tissue and organs and also being the cause of stroke. This blog will discuss in detail the thick blood symptoms, thick blood causes and thick blood treatment.

What causes thick blood?

There are various causes for thick blood, such as excess circulating blood cells, diseases or conditions that influence blood clotting, and extra blood clotting proteins.

What causes thick blood

Thick blood is not a disease, and the conditions that cause thick blood can be inherited or acquired later. The medical conditions that could cause thick blood include

  • Polycythemia Vera (PV), causes the body to make excess red blood cells, resulting in thicker blood.

  • Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, a rare type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma producing large quantities of immunoglobulin M protein that causes the blood to be thick. 

  • Prothrombin gene 20210A or factor II mutation. Factor II, or prothrombin, is essential for blood clotting but too much prothrombin increases the risk of clot formation.

  • Deficiencies of protein C, protein S, and antithrombin that are natural anticoagulants.

  • In normal conditions, protein C regulates the clotting factor V. Factor V Leiden causes thick blood as protein C cannot regulate the clotting factor V’s activity. 

Environmental factors and health conditions like smoking, hormonal changes, cardiovascular conditions, hormonal medication, trauma, injury, and some diseases like cancer can cause blood clots.

What are thick blood symptoms?

What are thick blood symptoms

Most people don’t have any symptoms of thick blood until they experience a blood clot. The blood clot usually occurs in the vein, which causes pain and affects circulation in and around the clot.

Though without symptoms, some people know they have a family history of a blood clotting disorder and get tested for blood clotting issues before any appear.

The main symptoms of thick blood include

  • Blood clots of unknown origin

  • Repeated blood clots without any reason

  • Experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss is also an indication of a thick blood condition.

Other common symptoms include

  • Blurred vision

  • Dizziness

  • Excessive menstrual bleeding

  • Easy bruising

  • Headache

  • Gout Headache

  • Hypertension

  • Itchy skin

  • Lack of energy,

  • Shortness of breath

How can thick blood be diagnosed?

Thick blood (hypercoagulability) should be diagnosed if some symptoms are observed in the patients. The diagnosis of thick blood is started by first taking the patient's medical history. The doctor first orders a blood test at frequent intervals to detect the thick blood. The blood tests recommended by doctors when they think you have thick blood include

  • Complete blood count: This test screens for the presence of red blood cells and platelets in the blood. High haemoglobin and hematocrit levels may indicate the presence of polycythemia vera. 

  • Activated protein C resistance: This tests for factor V Leiden, an inherited blood clotting disorder.

  • Prothrombin G20210A mutation testing: This determines the presence of antithrombin, protein C, or protein S abnormalities.

  • Protein C, protein S, and antithrombin functional levels test to determine the presence of lupus anticoagulants. 

Lupus anticoagulants are antibodies that attack healthy cells and cell proteins. Lupus anticoagulants increase the risk of blood clots. Generally, lupus anticoagulants are associated with antiphospholipid syndrome (an immune system disorder).

It is recommended to get tested for thick blood after 4-6 weeks after a blood clot as sooner testing could give a false result. The false result could be due to inflammatory components in the blood due to the clot. 

How to treat thick blood?

 Drug-based treatments for thick blood condition:

  • Antiplatelet therapy: Medications like aspirin can help in the prevention of the formation of clots. 

  • Anticoagulant therapy using drugs like warfarin.

  • Thrombolytics are emergency clot-busting drugs.

  • Protein C and antithrombin factor treatment can be used for some people.

Treating the underlying cause of thick blood

  • Polycythemia Vera 

Polycythemia Vera is a condition where the bone marrow produces too many red and white blood cells making the blood thick. The symptoms of Polycythemia Vera include fatigue, headache, dizziness, weakness, sweating, itchy skin, blurred vision, and abdominal fullness or bloating. Phlebotomy and frequent blood withdrawals help to manage  Polycythemia Vera. 

  • Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and plasmapheresis are the standard treatment options for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

Treatment of thick blood

Lifestyle changes to reduce the likelihood of developing blood clots

  • Quitting smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke.

  • Losing weight if necessary and doing regular physical activity.

  • Avoid sitting for long periods and moving legs and feet frequently to support blood flow.

What are the complications of thick blood?

What are the complications of thick blood
  • Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism can be two major complications of thick blood. 

  • The person suffering from a thick blood condition can suffer from complications like rapid heartbeats, pain during deep breaths, blood while coughing, chest pain, swelling, redness, and leg pain on bending and stretching. 

  • Other complications are heart attack, stroke, kidney complications, pregnancy complications, and peripheral artery disease.

Take-Home Points

  • Thick blood is a disease indicated by hypercoagulability, the tendency to form blood clots without bleeding. Having thick blood means being at an excessive risk of developing blood clots.

  • There are various causes for thick blood, such as excess circulating blood cells, diseases or conditions that influence blood clotting, and extra blood clotting proteins. The medical conditions that could cause thick blood include Polycythemia Vera, Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, Prothrombin gene 20210A, and inherited blood clotting disorders like Factor V Leiden.

  • Diagnosis involves a complete blood count (CBC), activated protein c resistance test, tests to determine the presence of antithrombin, protein C, or protein S abnormalities and lupus anticoagulants. 

  • Treatment for thick blood conditions includes antiplatelet therapy, anticoagulant therapy, thrombolytics, protein C, and antithrombin factor treatment, treating the underlying cause of thick blood, and making lifestyle changes.


References

FAQ on Thick blood

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