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DIC (Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation)
Alternate Names : Consumption Coagulopathy
DefinitionDIC is a disorder of diffuse activation of the clotting cascade that results in depletion of clotting factors in the blood.
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Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) occurs when the blood clotting mechanisms are activated throughout the body instead of being localized to an area of injury. Small blood clots form throughout the body, and eventually the blood clotting factors are used up and not available to form clots at sites of tissue injury. Clot dissolving mechanisms are also increased. This disorder is variable in its clinical effects, and can result in either clotting symptoms or, more often, bleeding. Bleeding can be severe. DIC may be stimulated by many factors including infection in the blood by bacteria or fungus, severe tissue injury as in burns and head injury, cancer, reactions to blood transfusions, and obstetrical complications such as retained placenta after delivery.
Risk factors are recent sepsis, recent injury or trauma, recent surgery or anesthesia, complications of labor and delivery, leukemia or disseminated cancer, recent blood transfusion reaction, and severe liver disease.
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• Definition
• Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
• Symptoms & Signs
• Prevention
• Diagnosis & Tests
• Treatment
• Prognosis
• Complications
• Calling Your Health Care Provider
• Pictures & Images
Topics that might be of interest to you Diseases & Conditions
• Blood Clots
• Cancer
• Liver Disease
• Mesenteric Venous Thrombosis
• Sepsis
• Transfusion Reaction
Tests & Exams
• Factor II Assay
• Fibrinogen
• Platelet Count
• Prothrombin Time (PT)
Other Topics
• Bleeding
• Bleeding Into the Skin
• Burns
• Head Injury
Review Date : 6/5/2003
Reviewed By : Ezra E. W. Cohen, M.D., Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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