Hypercoagulable States What the Oral Surgeon Needs to Know

Thrombophilia or hypercoagulable conditions can be thought of as either inherited or acquired. The inherited disorders include deficiencies of antithrombin, protein C, or protein S or the common disorders of factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A gene mutation. All these disorders are inherited as autosomal dominant and predispose individuals primarily to venous thrombosis. Acquired thrombophilic conditions are seen in individuals with cancer, phospholipid antibodies, and a whole host of other conditions that alter endothelial function, change blood levels of coagulant or anticoagulant proteins, activate platelets, or have other effects on coagulation proteins, platelet function, or the endothelium.