Matthew Tuck

The term coagulopathy can denote problems with hypercoagulability or bleeding diatheses. This chapter will focus on the latter. See chapters on Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia, Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome, and Venous Hypercoagulability for more information on hypercoagulable states. The coagulation cascade is a complex interaction of coagulation factors, co-factors and enzyme complexes which together lead…

. Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a secondary pathologic process with unbridled systemic activation of the intravascular coagulation system resulting in thrombosis and consumption of both platelets and coagulation factors followed by secondary fibrinolysis. A consensus definition offered by the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis is: “DIC is an acquired syndrome characterized by the…