{"id":5660,"date":"2021-05-21T21:54:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-21T19:54:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/clinical\/hematology\/thrombocytopenia-and-platelet-disorders\/disseminated-intravascular-coagulation-dic\/"},"modified":"2021-05-21T21:56:24","modified_gmt":"2021-05-21T19:56:24","slug":"disseminated-intravascular-coagulation-dic","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/clinical\/internal-medicine\/hematology\/thrombocytopenia-and-platelet-disorders\/disseminated-intravascular-coagulation-dic\/","title":{"rendered":"Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Definition<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

Sudden, widespread clotting within the microcirculation.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

Characteristics<\/h4>\n<\/span>\n\n\n
  • Natural coagulation inhibitors fail to control the widespread clotting<\/li>
  • Platelets and clotting factors are “consumed” (hence the synonym consumptive coagulopathy<\/strong>) due to the widespread clotting, causing an increased tendency of bleeding (hemorrhages)<\/li>
  • Small and medium vessels will clog, leading to ischemic tissue damage and necrosis (usually in the kidneys, brain, adrenal glands and the heart)<\/li>
  • Externally, appears as diffuse petechiae and ecchymosis in the skin and mucosal tissues (including inside the body — GIT, urinary tract and the serosal lining of body cavities and organs)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    In other words, there will be too much clotting in the wrong places and too little clotting in the right places.<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

    Pathomechanism<\/h3>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

    The two triggers of DIC are widespread endothelial damage<\/strong> and\/or systemic release of procoagulant substances into the circulation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The most common conditions leading to DIC include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    • Obstetric complications<\/li>
    • Malignant tumors<\/li>
    • Bacterial infections (sepsis)<\/li>
    • Autoimmune diseases<\/li>
    • Physical or chemical traumas<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Regardless of the trigger, the pathomechanism is pretty much the same, causing the release of tissue factor<\/strong> and aggregation of platelets<\/strong> leading to widespread microvascular thrombosis<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The body will attempt to fix the situation by activating plasmin, fibrinolysis, and inhibiting the clotting factors, but it will only make things worse for the increased bleeding tendency (since the platelets and clotting factors were “consumed” during the widespread clotting, as mentioned above).<\/p>\n\n\n<\/span>\n

      Complications<\/h3>\n<\/span>\n\n\n

      The microvascular thrombi can lead to infarcts in various organs. Depending on the severity, they may lead to abnormalities and even organ failure:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • Destruction of the cortex in the kidneys<\/li>
      • Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome<\/strong>: in the adrenal glands (failure due to bleeding into the adrenal glands)<\/li>
      • Bizzare neurological signs in the brain (may cause coma and death)<\/li><\/ul>\n<\/span>

        Definition<\/h4>

        Characteristics<\/h4>

        Pathomechanism<\/h3>

        Complications<\/h3><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Definition Sudden, widespread clotting within the microcirculation. Characteristics Natural coagulation inhibitors fail to control the widespread clotting Platelets and clotting factors are “consumed” (hence the synonym consumptive coagulopathy) due to the widespread clotting, causing an increased tendency of bleeding (hemorrhages) Small and medium vessels will clog, leading to ischemic tissue damage and necrosis (usually in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":5575,"menu_order":8,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-5660","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nDisseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) – Meddists<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/meddists.com\/learn\/clinical\/internal-medicine\/hematology\/thrombocytopenia-and-platelet-disorders\/disseminated-intravascular-coagulation-dic\/\" 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