Pulmonary Embolism Linked to Family History of DVT (Blood Clots)

Family history of venous thrombosis (DVT) may be more useful to determine whether a person has a DVT than laboratory tests.  A new study finds that children and siblings of people who develop blood clots in the veins may be more than twice as likely as those without a family history to develop the condition.  The risk was even greater if the relative developed blood clots at a young age and as much as four times higher if more than one relative had venous thrombosis.  The risk increased with the number of factors identified; for those with a genetic and environmental risk factor and a positive family history, the risk was about 64-fold higher than for those with no known risk factor and a negative family history.

This kind of clot, known as a venous thrombosis, can be potentially dangerous, because it can break off and travel to the lungs, which is called pulmonary embolism and is often fatal.  Most blood clots that cause PE start in the legs.

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