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Understanding D-Dimer Levels

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March 8th, 2006
Is it true that d-dimer is only elevated for a short period of time beginning when the blood clots initially? I heard it only stays elevated for 2 weeks after the initial clot and then goes back to normal, so if you have a clot that is over 2 weeks old the d-dimer test will show up normal. Is this true?


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replied March 23rd, 2006
General Q&A Answer A577
d-dimers are more often not elevated for a short period of time! D-dimers are elevated until the clot is present in the deep veins. D-dimers originate from the fibrin that is part of a clot’s structure. A special blood enzyme, plazmin, dissolves the fibrin... producing the fibrin’s degradation products. D-dimers are one of those products. Plazmin will act as long as there is fibrin. So L-dimers will be present as long as whole clot is dissolved.
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