Disseminated intravascular coagulation is a condition in which the affected person’s blood has difficulty in clotting, thus leading to excess of bleeding. Sometimes it can cause failure of organ or even death if not attended immediately. It becomes life threatening problem when suddenly blood clotting metabolism is not able to function properly. The person may have internal or external bleeding causing excessive loss of blood.
It can affect the person in two ways. It will result in excess of clotting (thrombosis) wherein blood platelets will join together to block the blood vessels in the body, disrupting normal flow of blood. Other method is excess of bleeding which can damage internal organs causing death.
Causes :
Disseminated intravascular coagulation DIC can be caused by many factors. But it is a rare condition affecting very less number of people. Severe trauma, accident or brain injury can trigger blood clotting. When the temperature of the body falls below average (hypothermia) it can cause blood clotting in excess. Sometimes it can occur due to viral or fungal infection. In rare cases it can develop due to complications that may occur during childbirth.
In severe types of cancer DIC is the first symptom to detect that something is wrong in the system. Severe poison from snakebite can cause this problem in some people. Excessive blood clotting occurs due to the release of certain chemicals into the blood during delivery or labor pain. Amniotic fluid can clot resulting in excessive blood clotting in many places of the body.
It can develop due to extensive tissue injury caused due to accident or trauma. Even burns (second or third degree burns) can cause this problem. This can occur as a side effect of blood transfusion when the body refuses to accept the donated blood. In rare cases, it can develop during prostate surgery.
Who are at risk?
If you have received blood from multiple persons recently or if you have had sepsis recently you are under risk of getting DIC. Severe head injury, surgical complications due to intake of overdoses of anesthesia and labor pain can trigger this problem.