How does disseminated intravascular coagulation develop?
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What is disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)? Show Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a rare, life threatening condition. It’s also sometimes called consumption coagulopathy. In the early stages of the condition, DIC causes your blood to clot excessively. As a result, blood clots may reduce blood flow and block blood from reaching bodily organs. As the condition progresses, platelets and clotting factors — the substances in your blood responsible for forming clots — are used up. When this happens, you may begin to experience excessive bleeding. DIC is a serious condition that can lead to death. If you have bleeding that won’t stop, go to an emergency room or call 911 for prompt medical treatment. Read on to learn some of the possible symptoms and causes of DIC and how this serious condition may be treated and prevented. Bleeding, sometimes from multiple locations on the body, is one of the more common symptoms of DIC. Bleeding from the mucosal tissue (in the mouth and nose) and other external areas may occur. In addition, DIC may cause internal bleeding. Other signs and symptoms of DIC may include:
If you have cancer, DIC generally begins slowly, and clotting in the veins is more common than excessive bleeding. At first, cancer-related DIC may not cause any symptoms at all. Your risk of DIC may be higher if you have recently:
Since DIC isn ’t a condition that is regularly screened for at your annual exam, it ’s important to be aware of the possible symptoms, particularly if you have any risk factors for this condition. If a doctor considers you at a higher risk of developing DIC, they may order blood tests, such as a complete blood cell count (CBC) that checks your platelets, red blood cell numbers, and provides other important information about your blood. Your doctor may routinely check your blood if you ’re at a high risk. Unfortunately, not all cases of DIC may be prevented. Examples include unexpected injuries and acute medical conditions. DIC may be identified through various tests related to your levels of platelets, clotting factors, and other blood components. However, there isn’t a standard procedure. The following are some tests that may be conducted if your doctor suspects DIC:
In addition to blood testing, a doctor may also perform a physical exam to check for visible signs of bleeding or blood clots. They may also ask if you’ve had any recent surgeries, injuries, or medical problems. DIC treatment depends on what is causing the disorder. Treatment of the underlying cause is the main goal. To treat the clotting problem, you may be given an anticoagulant called heparin to reduce and prevent clotting. However, heparin may not be administered if you have a severe lack of platelets or are bleeding too excessively. People with acute (sudden) DIC require hospitalization, often in an intensive care unit (ICU). There, treatment will attempt to correct the problem causing DIC while maintaining the function of the organs. A transfusion may be needed to replace the missing platelets. Plasma transfusions have the ability to replace the clotting factors. The outlook of your treatment depends on what caused you to develop DIC. If the initial problem can be corrected, then DIC will resolve. If not, your doctor may prescribe blood thinners to prevent blood clots. People who are taking blood thinners should see their doctor for regular checkups. Your doctor will want to give you regular blood tests to evaluate how your blood is clotting. DIC is a serious, potentially life threatening condition that leads to excessive blood clots. It may be brought on by acute illnesses or injuries, as well as long-term (chronic) conditions such as cancer. When detected early, DIC is treatable. It ’s also important to follow your treatment plan for any underlying conditions that may be contributing to DIC and to see a doctor for regular blood testing. See a doctor right away if you think you ’re experiencing possible symptoms of DIC. Seek emergency medical help for uncontrolled bleeding, stroke, and other more serious complications. How does DIC develop?Causes. When you are injured, proteins in the blood that form blood clots travel to the injury site to help stop bleeding. If these proteins become abnormally active throughout the body, you could develop DIC. The underlying cause is usually due to inflammation, infection, or cancer.
What happens when DIC develops?First, DIC creates many small blood clots that might keep your blood from traveling through your body. When this happens, your blood might not be able to bring oxygen and nutrients to your head, heart and other organs.
How quickly does DIC develop?Acute DIC develops quickly (over hours or days) and is very serious. Chronic DIC develops more slowly (over weeks or months). It lasts longer and usually isn't recognized as quickly as acute DIC. With acute DIC, blood clotting in the blood vessels usually occurs first, followed by bleeding.
What is the pathologic mechanism that triggers DIC?Thus, major mechanisms for triggering DIC include release of tissue factor or thrombo-plastic substances into the circulation (activation of extrinsic pathway of coagulation), injury to endothelial cells exposing subendothelial collagen (activation of intrinsic and extrinsic pathways of coagulation), systemic ...
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