Dorothy FarrarConsumption coagulopathy
Consumable coagulopathy (disseminated intravascular coagulation) is a disorder of the coagulability of the blood, which can occur to varying degrees.
What is consumption coagulopathy?
A consumption coagulopathy leads to a reduction in the coagulation factors and the thrombocytes or blood platelets, which are responsible for the clotting of the blood. When there is an injury, the platelets clump together, which is called coagulation. This allows the wound to close and the blood that escapes to the air solidifies.
If consumption coagulopathy occurs, the willingness to coagulate is increased, which is noticeable in the blood vessels. The increased tendency to bleed occurs when blood clotting factors are completely missing, are reduced or there is a malfunction. As a result, the coagulation cascade is disturbed, which means that hematomas or bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract or the mucous membrane can easily occur.
causes
Consumable coagulopathy is caused by damage to the vessel wall or tissue. This releases substances that promote clotting into the bloodstream at high levels, causing small clots to form. This clogs the vessels and destroys blood circulation. As a result, organ damage occurs. In most cases, consumption coagulopathy is based on various previous illnesses, which lead to irregularities in the coagulation system.
A basic distinction can be made between acute and chronic consumption coagulopathy, both of which can be traced back to poisoning , hemoblastosis or liver cirrhosis . The liver in particular is heavily involved in the production of coagulation factors. Other causes of consumption coagulopathy include blood poisoning , leukemia , blood loss due to severe injuries, inflammation of the pancreas or an amniotic fluid embolism. In addition, consumption coagulopathy is also triggered by the following diseases:
- premature abruption of the placenta
- Certain forms of the so-called hypertensive disease of pregnancy
- snake bite
- Advanced stage cancer
- heatstroke
- Severe burns
- Eclampsia (pregnancy disease with seizures or high blood pressure)
symptoms and course
Typical symptoms of consumption coagulopathy:
- mucosal bleeding
- skin bleeding
- high bleeding tendency
The following symptoms occur as part of consumption coagulopathy: organ bleeding in the intestine , stomach , kidneys or brain , blue discoloration of mucous membranes and skin (cyanosis), mucous membrane bleeding or skin bleeding and blood clotting disorders in the blood plasma. Due to the coagulation disorders, the risk of bleeding is very high. These appear as tiny bleedings on the skin, in wounds or on the mucous membrane. If the bleeding occurs in internal organs or in the brain, this can lead to a loss of function. On the other hand, there are numerous thrombi in the bloodto be found who can move the vessels. As a result, the target tissue is not supplied with sufficient blood. If the disease is very severe, those affected suffer from circulatory failure and disorders of the liver, skin and lungs . A consumption coagulopathy is triggered due to a pathological activation of blood coagulation, the lack of coagulation factors and an inability to coagulate blood.
In the case of the latter cause, the factors that play an essential role in the coagulation process, such as antithrombin and platelets, are not present in sufficient quantities. As a result, those affected suffer from a shock that leads to multi- organ failure . In addition, patients suffering from consumption coagulopathy can also bleed to death, as there is an extremely high tendency to bleed.
Diagnose
In order to be able to diagnose consumption coagulopathy, special laboratory tests are carried out. These include, for example, coagulation tests with blood plasma or the quantitative determination of platelets. In the course of consumption coagulopathy, the coagulation factors and platelets are reduced. Fibrin fission products are also detectable. The doctor can calculate a point value from the values. This increases the more severe the consumption coagulopathy progresses. In addition, there are diseases that cause similar symptoms. These include leukemia, immune thrombocytopenia or an increased breakdown of platelets as a result of an enlarged spleen .
treatment and therapy
Normally, consumption coagulopathy is always a consequence of an operation or another disease. However, consumption coagulopathy can also be triggered by an accident with severe blood loss. Therefore, therapy is not always easy. First, the causative disease must be treated to reduce the risk of consumption coagulopathy.
For example, it is necessary to replenish the thrombocytes or the lost coagulation factors, with special thrombocyte concentrates being available for this purpose. These are given to the patient by infusion . In clinics and blood donation facilities, there is so-called fresh-frozen plasma for this purpose, which can be thawed and administered in an emergency. This plasma contains high concentrations of thrombocytes and coagulation factors.
Patients must be monitored continuously, with monitoring being carried out in an intensive care unit. If the number of blood platelets is below the normal value and the function of the platelets is disturbed, the affected persons are treated with desmopressin. If consumption coagulopathy with kumorin occurs, patients receive vitamin K.
prevention
It is extremely difficult to prevent consumption coagulopathy. If people suffer from the symptoms listed, a healthy lifestyle and regular monitoring of the coagulation values are required. Heparin , an agent that prevents the formation of thrombi and ensures that sufficient thrombocytes or clotting factors are available, is also often administered as a preventive measure.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.