Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome causes abnormal blood clotting due to autoimmune reactions. Treatment involves anticoagulant drugs, and pregnant women are at risk of complications. Symptoms include pain and a rash, and a definitive diagnosis requires ruling out other causes. Blood thinners and surgery may be necessary for treatment, and pregnancy is high risk for those with the condition.
Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is a clotting disorder in which a patient’s blood begins to clot abnormally due to a series of autoimmune reactions. In primary cases of the disease, patients develop the condition without any pre-existing and potentially related cause, while secondary cases occur when patients have an existing autoimmune disease and antiphospholipid syndrome appears as a complication. Management of this condition usually involves treating the patient with anticoagulant drugs to break up clots and prevent potentially fatal consequences of clotting, such as stroke.
In a patient with antiphospholipid syndrome, the immune system develops antibodies against compounds in the blood and begins to attack them. This causes heavy clotting. The patient is at risk for deep vein thrombosis, in which a clot forms in the leg, along with blood clots in other parts of the body, such as the lungs. Also, this condition can cause a stroke if a clot forms in the brain or travels to the brain.
In pregnant women, antiphospholipid syndrome can cause serious complications including termination of pregnancy. Pregnant women tend to be at risk of clotting problems under normal conditions and the emergence of a blood clotting problem in pregnancy is a cause for concern. An obstetrician can evaluate a patient with a bleeding disorder to determine the degree of risk and develop an appropriate plan for managing the pregnancy.
Symptoms of antiphospholipid syndrome can include pain in one of the extremities and a rash. The patient’s blood may be drawn to look for antiphospholipid antibodies, although it is important to be aware that the presence of these antibodies does not necessarily mean that the patient has the disease. About two percent of the population appears to naturally develop antiphospholipid antibodies without adverse effects. For a definitive diagnosis, a doctor will need to confirm the presence of clotting problems and rule out any other potential causes of the patient’s bleeding disorder.
Treatment of this condition begins with the use of blood thinners to break up clots and reduce the risk of complications. If a clot has formed and can’t be broken up with medication, you may need surgery to clear it. In the case of patients who have developed complications such as stroke, further medical interventions may be required. For pregnant women who do not miscarry, the pregnancy will be classified as high risk and the patient will need to be closely monitored throughout the pregnancy. Women who have antiphospholipid syndrome may want to consider avoiding pregnancy due to the increased risks.
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