Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

What is Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)

Disseminated intravascular coagulation is a condition that causes abnormal blood clotting. Normally, when you get an injury, such as a cut, proteins help your blood to clot at the injury site.

In DIC, the proteins that control blood clotting become overactive. Small blood clots form that can clog up blood vessels and cut off the blood supply to important organs, such as the liver, brain, or kidneys.

As DIC gets worse, the blood does not clot very well and serious bleeding can occur. This can be life-threatening. DIC can happen suddenly (acute) or happen over a long period of time (chronic).

DIC causes low levels of:

• Blood cells that carry oxygen (red blood cells).
• Blood cells that help clotting(platelets).
• Chemicals in the body that help form clots(clotting factors).
• Chemicals made by the body to break down and prevent clotting (anticoagulant proteins).

What are the causes?

This condition may be caused by:

• Blood infection (sepsis) due to bacteria entering the bloodstream.
• Severe burns or frostbite.
• Severe injury (trauma).
• Cancer.
• Surgery.
• Lupus.
• Complications from pregnancy or labor.
• Severe liver failure.
• Organ transplant rejection.
• Transfusion reaction from blood products.
• Poisonous bites, such as a snake bite.

What are the signs or symptoms?

Symptoms of this condition include:

• Nosebleeds.
• Bleeding from the gums.
• Unexplained bruising or bruising very easily.
• A red or red-purple rash.
• Bleeding very easily.
• Fever.
• Cough.
• Headache.
• Pain, swelling, or redness of the lower leg, if a blood clot forms.
• Chest pain.
• Stroke-like symptoms, such as confused thinking or slurred speech.
• Trouble breathing.

If you have chronic DIC, bleeding usually does not occur and there may be no signs or symptoms.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed based on blood tests and a physical exam. Blood tests may include:

• Platelet count.
• Blood clotting tests.
• Liver and kidney function tests.

How is this treated?

Treatment can vary and focuses on treating the underlying cause of your condition. It may include:

• Antibiotic medicines, if you have an infection.
• Red blood cells transfusion.
• Platelet transfusion.
• Blood-thinning medicines that help prevent the blood from clotting.

Follow these instructions at home:

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• If you were prescribed an antibiotic medicine, take it as told by your health care provider.Do not stop taking the antibiotic even if you start to feel better.
• Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have unexplained bleeding or bruising.
• You have a fever.

Get help right away if:

• You have bleeding that does not stop.
• You have blood in your urine or stool.
• Your stool is dark, black, or tarry.
• You have dark-colored urine.
• You vomit blood.
• You have a severe headache.
• You feel dizzy or faint.
• You are short of breath.
• You develop severe chest pain.
• You have large areas of bruising.
• You develop any rashes with a red or purple-red appearance.

These symptoms may represent a serious problem that is an emergency. Do not wait to see if the symptoms will go away. Get medical help right away. Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.). Do not drive yourself to the clinic or hospital.

Summary

• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a condition that causes abnormal blood clotting. It can be a life threatening condition.
• The condition is diagnosed with blood tests.
• Treatment focuses on the underlying condition, and may include a blood transfusion.
• Get help right away for any bleeding or difficulty breathing.