WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DISSEMINATED INTRAVASCULAR COAGULATION SYNDROME
Disseminated Intravascular Syndrome is a serious medical condition that disrupts the path of blood flow. With this condition, the proteins responsible for clotting become overactive. During this, small blood clots begin to develop in the blood vessels causing a blockage in blood flow. This leads to excessive bleeding as platelets and the clotting factors begin to wein. It generally affects patients who are suffering from cancer and sepsis. It also causes more severe effects on people who are recovering from traumatic injuries such as a third-degree burns.
CAUSES OF DIC SYNDROME
The most relative cause of DIC Syndrome is any underlying infection, inflammation, or a more serious disease such as Cancer. It begins with excessive clotting. When we are injured or get a minor cut and begin to bleed, the proteins that are responsible for the coagulation process rush toward the injury site to help stop the bleeding. DIC develops when these proteins become abnormally active throughout the body.
DIC may develop either slowly or suddenly. Slow DIC is mainly the result of a severe disease like Cancer. Certain medical conditions lead to DIC Syndrome such as Blood transfusion reaction, recent surgery, complications during delivery, any liver disease, head injury, severe burn injury, tissue injury, and inflammation of the pancreas.
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SYMPTOMS OF DIC
The basic and most prominent symptom of DIC is uncontrollable bleeding that may be external as well as internal. Other symptoms of DIC include the following:
- Bruising
- Blood clots
- Low blood pressure
- Difficulty in breathing
- High body temperature
- Memory loss
- Behavioral change
HEALTH CARE PROVIDER DIAGNOSIS
Health care providers may prescribe several blood tests to diagnose DIC Syndrome. Some of the tests include the following:
- Complete Blood Count test {CBC}
- Prothrombin Time Test (PT TEST)
- Partial Thromboplastin Time Test (PTT}
- Fibrinogen Blood Test
- D-Dimer
TREATMENT FOR THE UNDERLYING DISORDER – DIC SYNDROME
The treatment of this disorder lies in finding the cause. It must be identified by doctors as soon as possible and the cause must be identified as an infection, obstetric problem, or cancer. Health care providers use supportive treatment to smooth the blood flow so blood clots subside. The following treatments are given as a supportive treatment:
- Plasma Transfusion to decrease the tendency of bleeding.
- Red Blood Cells (RBC) or platelets Transfusion
- Blood-thinning medications such as WARFARIN (COUMADIN) prevent blood clotting.
Patients suffering from DIC must be treated immediately as it may be life threatening. Patients who are put on blood-thinning medications such as WARFARIN, (COUMADIN) are asked to monitor their PT/INR LEVE regularly. To avoid long waiting periods in the laboratories or clinics they can perform their blood test at home conveniently. PATIENT SELF-TESTING is the new normal for many patients now. PT/INR METERS are the most accurate and portable device that give the results in no time.