Is factor V Leiden mutation curable?
The factor V Leiden mutation itself does not have any specific treatment. But when a person is diagnosed with an acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary emblolism (PE), treatment with anticoagulants (blood thinners) will be necessary and should be started as soon as possible.
Is factor V Leiden always passed?
Factor V Leiden is an inherited disorder and can therefore be passed on to your children. When a parent is heterozygous for Factor V Leiden, each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the Factor V Leiden gene from that parent.
Are you born with Factor V Leiden?
You get factor V Leiden because of your genes. That means you were born with a change or “mutation” that causes it. You can get it from one or both of your parents. About 5% of people in the United States have factor V Leiden.
What is factor V Leiden and how is it treated?
Factor V Leiden is the name of a specific gene mutation of the factor V gene. The factor V gene provides your body with instructions on how to make the factor V protein. This protein is found in your blood and is needed for your blood to clot properly.
What happens if you have two copies of the Leiden gene?
Those with one copy are 10 times as likely to have a significant abnormal clot in their lifetime compared to those born without the abnormal gene. Those with two copies are 60 times more likely. Approximately 5% of the Caucasian population carries at least one Factor V Leiden gene.
How many copies of factor V do you need for clotting disorders?
The amount of abnormal Factor V, and the severity of disease, depends on the presence of one or two copies of the mutated gene. Those with one copy are 10 times as likely to have a significant abnormal clot in their lifetime compared to those born without the abnormal gene. Those with two copies are 60 times more likely.