Hypercoagulation?

[catwoman]

A friend called last night, asking about INR values, and said that his stepsister in Ohio has been having some health problems. Seems that she spent some time in the hospital after an apparent stroke or series of strokes. Her INR, he was told, was 0.09.
He said she was put on warfarin and her last INR was 1.5.

My friend is a veterinarian, but doesn't have to deal too much with INRs or anticoagulation therapy in animals, except when they have had thromboembolisms. So, he turned to me for some info.

I remember seeing at some forum here about hypercoagulability problems -- "sluggish" blood, I've seen it described in print and online -- many times due to genetic defects.
His stepsister's mother and at least 1, perhaps 2, sisters have had strokes. I believe her mom died from a stroke.
Don't know any other health factors (obesity, diet, cholesterol/BP, pregnancies, DVT/PE history) about this woman. She's 43.

I sent Warren a link to several places on the web with info on hypercoagulability.

Anyone ever deal with this problem before?

 

[ALCapshaw2]

A friend knew someone with this problem which ran in that person's family. They were treated with Coumadin.

My friend 'thought' it had something to do with a protein in the blood.

I'll bet Doctors and Nurses at Anti-coagulation Clinics know something about it.

 

[catwoman]

Al:

I asked my friend if his stepsister's doctor is a cardio, internist or ... best yet, probably ... a hematologist. He didn't know.

I suspect the blood protein problem is behind this woman's problem, too.

 

[Marty]

protein S deficiency

protein S deficiency

I saw a patient recently with " protein S deficiency" This results in a hypercoagulable state. My patient was 25 yrs old and pregnant. These patients have a high rate of miscarriage and fetal growth retardation if they carry into the third trimester. This patient was taking Lovenox and having sonograms every month to check fetal growth.

 

[AgilityDog]

My husband's 1/2 sister, her son, and another half brother have what's called "factor 5" issues. It's a genetic defect. Sister (who still takes birth control pills, smokes and drinks too much) had 2 strokes in her mid thirties, leaving her blind in one eye (did she learn anything? no.)
Her son had a stroke at age 19, and has frequently been hospitalized on either heparin or lovenox (this was before my OHC, so the story is fuzzy due to our then-ignorance of these issues).
I don't know what, if anything, they are doing long term for treatment. None of them have medical insurance other than Medicaid, and they've never been good about taking care of themselves.