What is "Coagulation"?

Coagulation is the blood's natural tendency to plug an injured blood vessel to stop bleeding. It does this by coagulating and causing clots to form. Blood clots are made up of blood cells and fibrin strands, which work together to keep you from bleeding to death even from the most minute cut.

When you are injured, blood flows to the area and from the injured vessels. After just a moment, the body begins the clotting process and platelets gather to the site and start sticking together to form a type of plug. After the platelets are in place, the fibrin forms to create a stronger bond and clot.

With most people clots are naturally formed then reabsorbed by the body. They pose no significant risks. However, when they form inside of the walls of arteries and veins, they can cut off blood flow to parts of the body and cause things such as strokes, heart attacks, PEs, and other circulatory problems.

People with FVL have blood that hyper coagulates. That is why we must take anticoagulants and keep our blood thin, flowing, and clot free.