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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you've had one or more episodes of thrombosis or pregnancy loss or if you have a strong family history of thrombotic disease, your doctor can confirm that you have factor V Leiden with a blood test. Two types of tests can be done:
- Activated protein C resistance test. Your blood sample may be tested to determine whether your blood is resistant to activated protein C, one of the anti-clotting proteins that help control factor V. This is known as an activated protein C (APC) resistance assay. If your blood is resistant to activated protein C, it's likely that you have a mutation in the factor V gene.
- Genetic test. A genetic test either is done as a secondary test to confirm the results of the APC resistance assay or is done alone to determine whether you have a factor V gene mutation. If you're already taking medication for thrombosis, you're likely to have only the genetic test because blood-thinning drugs interfere with the activated protein C resistance test. The genetic test also can determine whether you've inherited one or two copies of the gene mutation.
