1. What can I do to reduce my Fibrinogen level?
If your fibrinogen concentration is elevated due to pregnancy, or to an acute inflammatory process, it will likely return to normal by itself once the underlying condition has resolved. If it is due to an acquired condition such as rheumatoid arthritis, there may be very little you can do to affect the level. If your doctor has told you that elevated fibrinogen levels are increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease, you can make lifestyle changes that will affect other cardiac risk factors, such as reducing your cholesterol and raising your HDL. There is also some evidence that diets rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids (fish oils) may help reduce fibrinogen levels.
2. What is the difference between Fibrinogen, D-dimer, and Fibrin Degradation Products (FDP) testing?
Fibrinogen testing measures the amount of soluble Factor I (dissolved in the blood), before it has been turned into insoluble fibrin and been crosslinked into a fibrin net. D-dimer and FDP testing both help evaluate the status of the fibrinolytic system, the body's ability to break blood clots apart when they are no longer needed so that they can be removed. FDP is a measurement of all of the fragments of the dissolving clot, while D-dimer is a more specific measurement for one of the crosslinked, break-down fragments.
This article was last reviewed on June 13, 2007.
This page was last modified on April 8, 2009.
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