Scientists in Sweden have discovered three genes that can make people much more likely to get blood clots in the legs. These clots are called venous thrombosis.
The research was done by Lund University and found that these gene changes could raise a person’s risk by up to 180 percent. This is a big step forward in understanding why some people are more likely to get clots and how we might stop them in the future.
Blood clots can form in both arteries and veins. Artery clots usually happen when plaque breaks off inside a blood vessel, which causes the body to form a clot to stop what it thinks is an injury. This can lead to strokes or heart attacks.
Vein clots, however, are more likely to form when blood moves too slowly—especially in the legs. This slow blood flow can cause a clot to form and block the vein. If the clot travels to the lungs, it can be deadly and is called a pulmonary embolism.
Even though vein clots are a major cause of death, they often don’t get as much attention as artery clots. In Sweden alone, over 10,000 people each year suffer from venous thromboembolism.
The chance of getting these clots goes up with age, weight, and height. Taller people are at higher risk because the blood in their legs has to travel farther to reach the heart. The slower the blood moves, the more likely a clot can form.
Veins are different from arteries. They are low-pressure blood vessels, and they don’t usually have problems with high blood pressure or high cholesterol. But being overweight is a major problem for veins. It slows blood flow, especially in people who don’t move around much. Extra weight also affects clotting chemicals in the body.
What you eat also matters. Diets filled with ultra-processed foods can slightly raise your risk, while healthy plant-based diets might lower it. Some studies have found that fishermen, who eat lots of omega-3 fats, have a lower chance of getting clots.
You are also more likely to get a clot during times when you’re not moving much. This includes long flights, staying in bed after surgery, or being pregnant. Pregnancy increases clotting chemicals in the blood and lowers the ones that protect you. In high-risk times like these, doctors may give you blood-thinning medicine.
Genes play a big role too. One famous gene mutation is Factor V Leiden, which affects about 10% of people in Sweden. This gene causes a condition called APC resistance, which raises clot risk. Long ago, this was helpful because it stopped too much bleeding, but today it’s more dangerous because people sit more and move less.
In this new study, scientists studied 30,000 people and looked at 27 different genes that may be linked to clotting. They found three key genes—called ABO, F8, and VWF—that each raised the risk by 10 to 30 percent. People with five of these risky genes were 180 percent more likely to get a clot.
Unlike Factor V Leiden, which is common in people of European background, these three new gene variants are found all over the world. This means the research may help people in many countries. Next, scientists hope to learn whether knowing your gene risk can help doctors decide how long people should stay on blood thinners after getting a clot.
To lower your risk, try to stay active, avoid sitting for too long, wear support stockings if needed, take medicine if your doctor recommends it, avoid smoking and estrogen-based birth control if you’re at risk, and eat a healthy diet. Also, getting vaccines can help, as infections may increase the chance of clots.
A blood clot forms when blood thickens and blocks a vessel. This can happen in arteries or veins. Knowing your risks and staying active are two of the best ways to protect yourself.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk, and Vitamin K2 could help reduce heart disease risk.
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies about how to remove plaques that cause heart attacks, and results showing a new way to prevent heart attacks, strokes.
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