Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Thick Blood?SymptomsCauses of Thick BloodWhat Are the Risks of Thick Blood?Diagnosing Thick BloodTreatments for Thick BloodOutlook for Thick Blood

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Thick Blood?

Symptoms

Causes of Thick Blood

What Are the Risks of Thick Blood?

Diagnosing Thick Blood

Treatments for Thick Blood

Outlook for Thick Blood

Having thick blood (known ashypercoagulability) means you are at increased risk for developing blood clots. Thick blood isn’t a condition in itself. Rather, it is a result of othervascularconditions.

Verywell / Julie Bang

Coagulation is the process in which the body forms a clot in response to bleeding. It involves theplatelets(specialized cell fragments that circulate in the blood) and various proteins all working together to form a clot and then dissolve it when it is no longer needed.

When people have thick blood, their blood tends to clot too much or to clot when they are not bleeding. Ablood clot(thrombus) that occurs in an artery or vein can be life-threatening. It can block blood flow to essential organs like the brain, heart, and lungs.

HypercoagulabilityHypercoagulability is the exaggerated tendency of the blood to clot.

Hypercoagulability

Hypercoagulability is the exaggerated tendency of the blood to clot.

Thick Blood Symptoms

Often, there are no symptoms of thick blood. Most people find out they have thick blood after they have been diagnosed with a blood clot.

However, sometimes thick blood can produce symptoms that are associated with blood clots. The symptoms experienced depend on where a clot is forming in the body. These might include:

Get emergency medical help right away if you develop any symptoms of a blood clot.

There are many causes for thick blood. Hypercoagulation can be inherited or a person may develop it due to a health condition. Oftentimes, both genes and the environment are contributing factors.

Genes

Certain gene mutations that place people at increased risk for developing blood clots include:

Acquired

Exposure to certain hormones, medications, and health conditions can contribute to the development of thick blood. These include:

Thick blood places a person at increased risk for developing blood clots. Blood clots can lead to serious health conditions, including:

If your healthcare provider suspects you have unusual blood-clotting tendencies, they may perform a physical exam, take a detailed medical history, and order some tests.

Testing may include:

Further testing may be done to identify suspected underlying conditions.

Treatment for thick blood varies. It depends on whether your healthcare provider is trying to manage an emergency, like an active clot, or working toprevent future clots. Treatment can include:

You can also take steps to reduce acquired risk factors, such as:

For many people with mild forms of thick blood, there are often no complications. For others, treatment can successfully prevent serious conditions like heart attack, stroke, deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. However, there may be side effects associated with such medications. For example, those taking blood thinners are at increased risk of bleeding.

That said, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about your condition and whether or not you should be taking medication to prevent blood clots.

Causes and Risk Factors of Pulmonary Embolism

Summary

Having thick blood (hypercoagulability) means that you are prone to excessive clotting or clotting when you are not bleeding. It can lead to dangerous blood clots that can result in a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening problems.

Thick blood can be due to a variety of health conditions, including those you are born with and those you develop after birth. It can be treated with medications. If you notice any dangerous symptoms, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, headache, slurred speech, confusion, or pain in the lower leg, seek medical attention right away.

9 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Southeastern Medical Oncology Center.Blood Can Be Too Thin or Too Thick.

Piazza G.Thrombophilia and hypercoagulability.Circulation. 2014;130(2). doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.007665

American Heart Association.Symptoms and diagnosis of excessive blood clotting (hypercoagulation).

MedlinePlus.Congenital antithrombin III deficiency.

MedlinePlus.Congenital C or S protein deficiency.

Chiasakul T, Zwicker J.Cancer-associated hypercoagulable state: Causes and mechanisms. UpToDate.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Polycythemia vera.

American Heart Association.Prevention and treatment of excessive blood clotting (hypercoagulation).

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?