Researchers at the University of Utah have received a $16 million grant from the National Institute of Health to study blood clots and their tendency to affect people with diabetes and other metabolic disorders, according to a story in the Deseret News.
According to the story, blood clots represent a major public health threat in the United States. The U.S. Surgeon General issued a call to action on the issue in 2008, saying that between 350,000 and 600,000 blood clots occur each year, with at least 100,000 of them fatal. And the numbers have increased since then, with some agencies estimating as many as 300,000 deaths per year from deep vein thrombosis, or a clot in one of the body’s major veins.
Although blood clots are common in those with metabolic disease, the story notes they can also occur in aging people who cannot move around well or who might have just had surgery.
Other risk factors include a family history of blood clots, smoking, pregnancy and use of birth control pills. While all birth control pills can increase the risk of blood clots, a number of studies show that those with the compound drospirenone carry up to three times the risk compared to other oral contraceptives on the market.
Birth control pills with drospirenone include Yasmin, Yaz, Beyaz and Ocella.
The high incidence of blood clots isn’t just a domestic issue either, according to the report. The global incidence of metabolic diseases and their thrombotic complications has increased markedly in recent years, according to the World Health Organization.
The report quotes Dr. Guy A. Zimmerman, U. Department of Medicine professor and a principal investigator on the grant, as saying: “Metabolic stress, inflammation, bleeding and clotting have been major influences in human evolution, and now they’ve also become major contributors to modern disorders, including diabetes, obesity and their complications.”
Patients should consult their doctors before making any changes in their medication. A consultation with a Beyaz lawyer is also important if there are significant injuries while on Beyaz or similar birth control pills.
See the story here:
https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865560766/Researchers-at-the-U-to-study-blood-clots.html?pg=all
