What kind of mutation is factor V Leiden?

Factor V Leiden (FAK-tur five LIDE-n) is a mutation of one of the clotting factors in the blood.

What are the factors that increase the risk of Leiden?

Factors that increase this risk include: Two faulty genes. Immobility. Estrogens. Surgeries or injuries. Non-O blood type.

What to do if you have factor V Leiden?

Women who carry the factor V Leiden mutation may have an increased tendency to develop blood clots during pregnancy or when taking the hormone estrogen. If you have factor V Leiden and have developed blood clots, anticoagulant medications can lessen your risk of developing additional blood clots and help you avoid potentially serious complications.

Why does APC not inactivate Factor V Leiden?

In people with the factor V Leiden mutation, APC is unable to inactivate factor V normally. As a result, the clotting process continues longer than usual, increasing the chance of developing abnormal blood clots. What is factor V Leiden thrombophilia?

Who are heterozygotes with Factor V Leiden thrombophilia?

People with one copy of the mutation are called heterozygotes. Assuming this person and a person without the mutation have a child, this couple would have a 50%, or 1 in 2 chance of having a child with a single F5 mutation. Factor V Leiden thrombophilia is a relatively common condition.

What does heterozygous mutation of factor V mean?

Heterozygous means that the 2 copies of a gene are different. In your case, one of your Factor V gene codes is for normal clotting Factor V and the other Factor V gene code is for Factor V Leiden.

What happens when protein C binds to factor V Leiden?

Factor V Leiden. With this mutation, protein C, an anticoagulant protein (which normally inhibits the pro-clotting activity of factor V), is not able to bind normally to Factor V, leading to a hypercoagulable state, i.e., an increased tendency for the patient to form abnormal and potentially harmful blood clots.