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Thrombotic Complications in Women: Risks and Prevention

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Biomedical Translational Research

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Abstract

Two main clinical manifestations of venous thrombo-embolism (VTE) include deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). DVT refers to a blood clot that starts in vein, usually in the deep veins of the legs or pelvis area. This blood clot (thrombus) may dislodge from its site of generation and travel through blood stream into lungs, causing PE, a potentially fatal condition. While incidence rate of VTE vary among different age groups and population, various reports are available on its differential occurrence in men and women, with contrasting data. Although any individual can succumb to VTE due to various inherited and acquired risk factors, the majority of the published data indicates that women are more prone to first incidence of venous thrombosis during different stages of life (from puberty till menopause), while men are more prone to recurrent VTE. The prevention and treatment of VTE thus poses distinct gender-specific challenges. It is extremely important for women to know the stages of life when they are more prone to develop DVT/VTE. Subsequently, women also need to have information about the risks associated with treatments using oral contraceptives, ovarian stimulation, pregnancy, etc. Thus the aim of this review is to (1) assess the incidence and risk factors of VTE in women and (2) to summarize the current guidelines and recommendation of VTE management. Early diagnosis of signs and symptoms of DVT/VTE and use of systematic anticoagulation therapy can prevent progression of thrombus and subsequent PE.

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Abbreviations

COCs:

Combined oral contraceptives

DVT:

Deep vein thrombosis

HRT:

Hormone replacement therapy

OHSS:

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

PE:

Pulmonary embolism

UFH:

Unfractioned heparin

VKAs:

Vitamin K-antagonists

VTE:

Venous thrombo-embolism

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences (DIPAS), Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Delhi, India

    Swati Srivastava, Iti Garg, Lilly Ganju, Rajeev Varshney & Bhuvnesh Kumar

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  1. Swati Srivastava
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  2. Iti Garg
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  3. Lilly Ganju
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  4. Rajeev Varshney
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Punjab University, Chandigarh, India

    R.C. Sobti

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Miami Health System, Florida, USA

    Awtar Krishan Ganju

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Srivastava, S., Garg, I., Ganju, L., Varshney, R., Kumar, B. (2022). Thrombotic Complications in Women: Risks and Prevention. In: Sobti, R., Ganju, A.K. (eds) Biomedical Translational Research. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-8845-4_22

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