Blood coagulation disorders may have the form of thromboembolic complications or a hemorrhagic diathesis. Thromboembolic diatheses are characterized by a tendency to clot formation, and haemorrhagic diatheses are characterized by heavy, prolonged bleeding - menstrual bleeding, nosebleed or after tooth extraction. What are the causes and symptoms of blood clotting disorders? What is the treatment?

Blood coagulation disordersmay have the form of thromboembolic complications orbleeding disorder .Thromboembolic disordersare prone to the formation of blood clots in blood vessels (hypercoagulability), i.e. the deposition of blood components inside the blood vessel, which causes its partial or complete obstruction. Haemorrhagic blemishes, on the other hand, are characterized by profuse, prolonged bleeding that occurs spontaneously or after an injury.

Blood clotting disorders - causes and types

The cause of thromboembolic disorders may be cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diseases of the pancreas and liver. Thromboembolic disorders can also be a complication of pregnancy and childbirth, various infections, and bites of some snakes.

Haemorrhagic flaws are the result of a disturbance (for various reasons) of the work of blood components, the interaction of which guarantees that the bleeding stops:

  1. vessels - then a vascular hemorrhagic diathesis is diagnosed, which is the result of a defect in the structure of the blood vessel wall
  2. platelets - this is when platelet hemorrhagic diathesis develops. May be the result of a deficiency (thrombocytopenia) or a defect in platelets
  3. of plasma coagulation factors - in this case, plasma hemorrhagic diathesis occurs. It is caused by hostile or acquired deficiency of blood coagulation factors contained in plasma or the presence of anticoagulants (substances that inhibit blood clotting)
Vascular bleeding disordersPlatelet bleeding blemishesPlasma bleeding blemishes
Congenital:
  • congenital haemorrhagic angioma (Rendu-Osler-Weber disease)
  • Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
  • Marfan's syndrome
  • osteogenesis imperfecta and other connective tissue diseases
Acquired - vascular bleeding disorders may arise as a result of:
  • treatmentsteroids
  • radiotherapy
  • vitamin C deficiency
  • infections, e.g. measles, diphtheria, scarlet fever, chicken pox
Congenital
  • Fanconi's band
  • marrow aplasia
  • disseminated intravascular coagulation
  • Bernard-Soulier syndrome
  • Glanzmann's syndrome
Acquired - platelet bleeding disorders may arise as a result of:
  • vitamin B12 deficiency, folate
  • use of certain medications, including acetylsalicylic acid
  • transfusions of blood and blood components
Congenital:
  • hemophilia A or B
  • von Willebrand disease

Acquired - plasma hemorrhagic blemishes may arise as a result of:

  • liver failure
  • vitamin K deficiency
  • use of oral anticoagulants

Blood coagulation disorders - symptoms

Plasma hemorrhagic blemishes manifest:

  • recurring intramuscular hemorrhages
  • recurrent intra-articular bleeding
  • late traumatic bleeding

Vascular and platelet hemorrhagic blemishes manifest as:

  • petechiae on the skin and mucous membranes
  • tendency to bruise and bruise
  • recurrent heavy nosebleeds with no apparent local cause
  • prolonged heavy periods
  • prolonged bleeding after tooth extraction and other injuries

There are no intramuscular and intraarticular bleeds in the case of vascular and platelet bleeding.

Hemorrhagic diathesis is indicated by symptoms such as: prolonged menstrual bleeding, prolonged bleeding after a tooth extraction and other injuries, or profuse nosebleeds for no apparent reason.

Thromboembolic disorders may be manifested by the occurrence of thrombotic events. They may arise, for example, in the course of venous thromboembolism. If the disease is located in the lower extremities, it can cause symptoms such as pain in the calf when walking and swelling of the lower leg or the entire limb.

Blood coagulation disorders - diagnosis

The test that allows for the diagnosis of blood coagulation disorders is a coagulogram.

Read more: A coagulogram is a blood clotting test. How to read its results?

Blood coagulation disorders - treatment

In the case of haemorrhagic diathesis, stop the bleeding (if it has appeared) with a pressure dressing and transport the patient to the hospital. There, the patient is given freshblood or blood products that contain missing components. For example, in the absence of platelets, platelet concentrates are transfused.

In the case of thromboembolic disease, anticoagulants are administered to thin the blood and reduce its tendency to clot.

Category:

Cardiology