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Tall people at increased risk of blood clots: study

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Press Trust of India London
Tall people are at a higher risk of developing blood clots in veins compared to those who are shorter, according to a study of more than two million siblings.

Researchers from Lund University in Sweden found that the risk of venous thromboembolism - a type of blood clot that starts in a vein - was associated with height, with the lowest risk being in shorter participants.

They also found that for men shorter than five feet three inches, the risk for venous thromboembolism dropped by 65 per cent when compared to the men six feet two inches or taller.

For women, shorter than five feet one inch who were pregnant for the first time, the risk for venous thromboembolism dropped 69 per cent, compared to women that were six feet or taller, researchers said.
 

"Height is not something we can do anything about. However, the height in the population has increased, and continues increasing, which could be contributing to the fact that the incidence of thrombosis has increased," said Bengt Zoller, associate professor at Lund University.

The study was published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics.

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First Published: Sep 06 2017 | 2:22 PM IST

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