Are you experiencing blood clots in your body? Let's learn about Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS)?

It is normal for blood to clot and stop bleeding when we get an injury. It is actually a defense mechanism of our body. However, if blood clots are forming in the veins of the body frequently for no reason, it is a matter of concern. Especially if you keep having miscarriages during pregnancy, the cause may be this condition called Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS), which we are going to talk about today.

What is APS simply?

Simply put, Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS) is a condition that makes your body more likely to form blood clots than normal. Doctors sometimes call it Antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.

These blood clots can cause serious, even life-threatening complications, such as strokes . The condition also increases the risk of miscarriages and other complications during pregnancy.

APS is actually an autoimmune disease . Imagine, we have a defense system in our body like an army. We call it the immune system. Its job is to protect us from germs and infections that cause disease. But in this autoimmune disease, what happens is that our own defense system mistakenly starts attacking the good cells in our own body.

What are the symptoms of this condition?

Some people with APS may develop dark spots on their skin that look like a net. This is medically called livedo reticulitis . However, most people with APS do not have any symptoms until they develop a blood clot or have a complication during pregnancy.

These are the symptoms that can occur if a blood clot forms. You should be very careful about these.

In addition to these symptoms, APS can also cause some symptoms that we cannot see or feel.

• Decreased blood platelet levels.
• Anemia.
• Heart valve abnormalities.

Why is this happening?

Antiphospholipid Syndrome occurs when your immune system mistakenly starts making an unusual type of antibody. Normally, antibodies are special proteins that seek out and destroy germs and allergens that enter our bodies. They're like defense robots.

But in someone with APS, these antibodies, which are made by the immune system, attack proteins that are attached to phospholipids (a type of fat) in our own cells. This attack damages the phospholipids, making them more likely to stick together and form blood clots.

There are three main types of antibodies that can cause APS:

• Lupus anticoagulant
• Anticardiolipin
• Anti-B2 glycoprotein 1

A person with APS may have one, two, or all three of these antibodies. But what's even more surprising is that some people may have these antibodies but never develop symptoms of APS. Experts still don't know exactly what triggers our immune system to make these faulty antibodies.

Who is most at risk for this condition?

Anyone can develop APS. However, you may be at slightly higher risk if you:

• If you are a woman .
• If you are between 30 and 40 years old.
• If you have other autoimmune diseases, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis.
• If one of your immediate family members (parents, grandparents) has APS.

What complications can occur due to APS?

Antiphospholipid syndrome can cause serious, sometimes fatal, complications. The most serious complications occur when blood clots form and block the arteries that supply blood to your body's vital organs.

• Brain: strokes
• Heart: Heart attack (thrombosis)
• Lungs: Blockage of blood vessels in the lungs (pulmonary embolism)
• Kidneys: Kidney damage

If you are pregnant, a blood clot blocking the supply of nutrients to the placenta can cause miscarriage. It also increases the risk of preeclampsia, a condition in which high blood pressure occurs during pregnancy.

Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a rare but serious complication of APS. It is a condition in which blood clots form in multiple organs of the body over a period of days. About half of people who develop this condition die. However, CAPS occurs in less than 1% of people with APS.

APS usually doesn't affect your lifespan. However, if a blood clot damages a vital organ, especially in a condition like CAPS, it can be fatal.

How does a doctor accurately diagnose this disease?

APS is often diagnosed after a blood clot forms or after repeated miscarriages. Some people may have antiphospholipid antibodies but never develop symptoms.

A doctor will confirm whether you have APS through blood tests . They will take a sample of your blood and check for the presence of the three types of antibodies mentioned earlier. To confirm the disease, at least one blood test must be positive on two occasions, more than three months apart.

What are the treatments for this?

Your doctor will recommend treatments that reduce the risk of blood clots. The most common treatments are blood thinners, or anticoagulants .

If you are pregnant, this treatment is safe for you and your baby, so there is no need to worry about it.

Let's also be aware of the side effects of blood thinners.

When you take blood thinners, your body is more likely to bleed. So you need to be very careful about these symptoms. If you have any of these , talk to your doctor right away.

• Bleeding from the gums or nose for no reason .
• Bleeding more than normal during menstruation.
• Vomiting that is light red or coffee grounds-colored .
• Bright red blood in the stool or black, tarry stools.
• Severe stomach ache or severe headache .
• Sudden changes in vision .
• Sudden loss of feeling in the arms or legs .

Things to consider when living with APS

The most important thing when living with APS is to prevent blood clots. For this, it is essential to take blood-thinning medications correctly.

In addition, it's important to control other health conditions that increase your risk of blood clots. If you have any of these conditions, talk to your doctor and get them under control:

• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Other autoimmune diseases

Do you need to be careful about food and drink?

People with APS usually do not need to follow a special diet. However, if you are taking the drug Warfarin , you should be careful about foods rich in vitamin K (dark green vegetables like spinach). Eating a lot of vitamin K-rich foods at once can increase your risk of blood clots. So ask your doctor for advice.

Also, ask your doctor about alcohol consumption. Alcohol thins the blood, so combining it with blood-thinning medications can increase the effect.

When should I see a doctor?

If you are taking blood thinners, you should see your doctor regularly for blood tests to make sure your blood clotting levels are within the appropriate range.

If you are hoping to get pregnant, it is very important to talk to your doctor about it in advance and get advice.

When should I go to the Emergency Department (ETU)?

Go to the hospital's Emergency Department (ETU) immediately:

• If you suspect you have a blood clot .
• If any symptoms of a blood clot appear.
• If you are bleeding uncontrollably .

Antiphospholipid Syndrome, APS, blood clots, autoimmune disease, miscarriage, stroke, paralysis, antibodies, blood thinners, Warfarin, Aspirin, Heparin, pregnancy