Risk factors
There are a number of risk factors that favour the development of thrombosis. In the following the most important risk factors are called and if necessary briefly described:
- Preparations containing estrogen: estrogen is contained in oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy during menopause, for example. In combination with nicotine abuse, the risk is increased.
- Obesity
- Age over 60
- Hereditary (congenital) coagulation tendencies: APC resistance, factor 5 Leiden mutation, protein C, protein S, antithrombin deficiency, factor 8 increase, prothrombin deficiency
- Antiphospholipid syndrome: This is a disease in which autoantibodies lead to increased coagulability of the blood. It mainly affects women. It is characterized by repeated thromboses at a young age and frequent abortions.
- Pregnancy and puerperium
- Smoking
- Cancer diseases z.B: Glioblastoma, stomach, pancreas, gynecological and urological tumors
- Common thromboses in the family
- Intravenous drug abuse: This injures the blood vessels and increases the probability of thrombosis.
- Immobilization e.g. during long-distance flights or operations
Alcohol as a cause of thrombosis
Alcohol is not considered an immediate risk factor for the development of thrombosis. However, it is true that alcohol has a rather dehydrating (draining) effect, which can be a co-factor if other risk factors are present. In general, however, it is not the case that moderate alcohol consumption leads to an increased tendency to thrombosis.
In fact, the opposite is more likely to be the case. In severely alcoholic patients with liver cirrhosis, coagulation is even severely impaired. Since important coagulation factors are formed in the liver, coagulation is severely impaired in cases of liver cirrhosis or liver dysfunction. The result is increased bleeding.
Consequences of thrombosis
The consequences of a thrombosis can be quite different and depend on the location of the thrombus and the underlying causes. For many patients, however, there is a therapeutic consequence that at least includes the reduction of risk factors (lack of exercise, smoking, etc.). Leg vein thrombosis usually requires temporary treatment with compression stockings and anticoagulant medication, whereas congenital thrombophilia sometimes requires lifelong medication.
