A hypercoagulable state refers to a medical condition characterized by an unusually high tendency for blood clot formation. Various hypercoagulable states exist, each caused by different factors, and all of them heighten the risk of developing blood clots, such as those found in veins. The causes of these states can include medications like female hormones, the post-operative period following surgeries (especially those involving the hip, knee, and urinary system), pregnancy, the presence of phospholipid antibodies in the blood (such as anticardiolipin antibodies), cancer (although many with a hypercoagulable state do not have cancer), elevated blood levels, and inherited deficiencies in proteins like antithrombin III, factor V Leiden, protein S, and protein C.
