Fibrinogen details

Fibrinogen is a protein made by the liver that's essential for the final steps of blood clot formation, where it's converted into fibrin, the mesh-like structure that stabilizes a clot. Low fibrinogen can indicate a bleeding risk, whether from an inherited deficiency, severe liver disease, or a condition like disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), where clotting factors are being rapidly consumed. Elevated fibrinogen is a nonspecific marker of inflammation (it also behaves as an 'acute phase' protein) and has additionally been studied as a marker linked to increased cardiovascular risk, since it plays a role in blood viscosity and clot formation within arteries.