[Hereditary thrombophilia; whom to test?]

Abstract

Patients with thrombophilia show a higher incidence of VTE due to a disturbance in the hemostatic system. Hereditary thrombophilia can be identified by laboratory diagnostics, however most guidelines advise against thrombophilia testing in the majority of the patients with VTE, since the outcome rarely affects clinical decisions for the treatment. In this article we describe two cases in which hereditary thrombophilia testing could be considered. Thrombophilia testing should only be performed in specific patients, where it is already decided beforehand how the outcome will guide future decision making.