Plasma-coagulation hemostasis in physically active subjects during adaptation to physical exercise

Basic hemorheological and pro-and anticoagulatory characteristics were studied in athletes practicing cyclic sports and patients with venous thrombosis and arterial atherosclerosis. The results of factor analysis of the entire sample indicated that changes in the procoagulatory components of the plasma-coagulation hemostasis in athletes tend to decrease the coagulatory potential of the blood. The athletes displayed a decrease in the activity of natural anticoagulants (protein C and antithrombin III). A significant decrease in the parameters of blood viscosity mainly caused by a better red cell deformability was correlated with the changes in the procoagulatory and anticoagulatory components of the hemostasis; these changes were well balanced and may be considered predominant. Damage to the vascular endothelium and disturbances in the red cell microrheology were found to be the most important factors in the patients with peripheral arterial disease. Acute deep vein thrombosis was associated with a strong activation of procoagulatory components and dysfunction of natural anticoagulants.