What is this Condition?

This disorder is a complication of conditions that accelerate blood clotting. It causes blockages in the small blood vessels, depletes the body’s supply of clotting factors and platelets, and destroys fibrin critical component of blood clots). In effect, the disorder causes severe bleeding at multiple sites.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation is generally an acute condition, but it may be chronic in people with cancer. The prognosis depends on early detection and treatment, on the severity of hemorrhaging, and on whether the underlying disease or condition can be treated.

What causes Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation?

Disseminated intravascular coagulation may result from a variety of disorders, but the reason for this isn’t known.

What are its symptoms?

The most significant symptom is abnormal bleeding in a person who has never had a serious bleeding disorder. The principal signs of such bleeding include oozing from the skin, red or purple skin spots, and hematomas caused by bleeding into the skin. Bleeding from sites of surgical or invasive procedures and from the digestive tract are equally significant, as are bluish, cold hands and feet and kidney problems.

Other possible symptoms include nausea, vomiting, shortness breath, decreased urination, seizures, coma, shock, failure of major body systems, and severe muscle, back, and abdominal pain.

How is it diagnosed?

Abnormal bleeding in the absence of a known blood disorder suggests disseminated intravascular coagulation. Lab findings that measure blood clotting support the diagnosis. Assessing kidney function may also provide important information.

Final confirmation of the diagnosis may be difficult because many of these test results also occur in other disorders. Additional diagnostic tests determine the underlying disorder.

How is it treated?

Successful management of disseminated intravascular coagulation depends on a prompt diagnosis and adequate treatment of the underlying disorder. Treatment may be supportive (when the underlying disorder is self-limiting, for example) or highly specific. If the person isn’t actively bleeding, supportive care alone may reverse the disorder. However, in active bleeding the doctor may order intravenous heparin and transfusions of blood, fresh-frozen plasma, platelets, or packed red blood cells.