Therapy
The best therapy for known thrombophilia is prophylaxis, i.e. to counteract the development of thromboses. The best way to do this is to know the risk factors for their development and to prevent them accordingly, especially through health-conscious behavior. Prevention is particularly important for people who have a congenital risk (see section “Causes”) of developing thromboses.
If these patients also have certain so-called acquired risk factors, or if they consciously expose themselves to these factors, which increase the formation of dangerous blood clots even in healthy people, the probability of a thrombosis event increases significantly. Among these risk factors are: However, some risk factors can be reduced and thus the development of thromboses can be counteracted in a targeted manner. This can be achieved, for example, by avoiding cigarettes, a diet if you are overweight and by avoiding long periods of sitting.
During long journeys, care should be taken to ensure a sufficient fluid intake and sufficient exercise during the journey or flight. For longer and frequent flights, specially made thrombosis stockings are also recommended. A specific, mainly drug therapy depends on the current condition and the previous illnesses of the person affected, as well as the reason for the thrombophilia, if one could be found.
The aim of drug therapy is to make the blood less capable of clotting and thus to counteract the development of thromboses. In the case of thrombophilia, this is most frequently achieved with the so-called Marcumar® (active ingredient: phenprocoumon). Marcumar® is taken in tablet form.
In the body, it acts as an antagonist to vitamin K. Vitamin K in turn is important for the regeneration of coagulation factors. Since the coagulation factors cannot be regenerated and thus made usable again, the coagulability of the blood decreases. As an alternative drug, long-term therapy with heparin can be used.
However, this is contraindicated in the presence of known heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (see section “Causes”). Whether the anticoagulant therapy is to be permanent or only for a certain period of time depends on the cause of the thrombophilia, the number, localization and severity of thromboses and/or embolisms that have already occurred, as well as any pending, planned operations and/or pregnancy. A permanent anticoagulant therapy should be aimed at, especially in the case of a known antiphospholipid syndrome, antithrombin deficiency, as well as in the case of recurrent, spontaneous vascular occlusion due to blood clots that have formed.
Women should avoid taking the contraceptive pill. However, if a blood-thinning therapy, for example with Marcumar®, is carried out, the patient has the option of continuing to take the contraceptive pill in consultation with her doctor.
- Smoking
- Overweight
- High cholesterol levels
- Taking the contraceptive pill
- Hormone intake in the menopause
- Low fluid intake
- Varicose veins (varices)
- Operations, especially major orthopedic procedures
- Lack of movement in the hospital bed or during a journey, for example in the car, bus or plane,
- Acute infections
- Tumor Diseases
- Pregnancy/week bed.
