BLEEDING DISORDERS Flashcards
What are the five main components of normal haemostasis?
Coagulation factors
Coagulation inhibitors
Fibrinolysis
Platelets
Blood vessels
Where are the coagulation factors mainly produced?
In the liver
How are coagulation factors normally found in the blood stream?
In their inactivated form
What is the ultimate goal of the both sides of the coagulation cascade?
To generate thrombin, which allows fibrinogen to become fibrin and form a clot are the aggregated platelets
What are the two pathways of the coagulation cascade?
Extrinsic pathway - tissue factor pathway caused by cellular injury releasing tissue factor
Intrinsic pathway - contact system
What are the coagulation factors involved exclusively in the extrinsic or tissue factor pathway?
Tissue factor (FIII) - activates FVII
FVII - used to activate factor X
What are the coagulation factors involved exclusively in the intrinsic or contact pathway?
FXII - activates FXI
FXI - activates FIX
FIX - used with FVIII to activate factor X
FVIII - used with FIX to activate factor X
What are the factors that make up the common pathway of the coagulation cascade?
FX
FV
FII (Prothrombin) – FIIa (Thrombin)
Fibrinogen – Fibrin
FXIII
What investigations may be useful as screening tools in patients with a history of bleeding?
FBC and blood film - thrombocytopenia
Prothrombin time
Activated partial thromboplastin time
Thrombin time
Quantitative fibrinogen assay
D-Dimer
U+Es and LFTs
What does the prothrombin time (PT) represent?
Measure of the extrinsic pathway of coagulation.
Therefore activity of factors VII, X, V and II
What does the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) represent?
Measure of the intrinsic pathway of coagulation
Therefore activity of factors XII, XI, IX, VIII, X, V and II
When monitoring heparin therapy do we use PT or APTT?
APTT
What is the inheritance pattern of haemophilia?
X-linked recessive
What is the coagulation factor affected in haemophilia A?
Factor VIII
What is the coagulation factor affected in haemophilia B?
Factor IX
What is the alternative name for haemophilia B?
Christmas disease
How do we grade haemophilia?
By Factor VIII:C (or FIX:C)
More than 5% is mild
Between 1 - 5% is moderate
Less than 1% is severe
What are the bleeding tendencies of someone with mild haemophilia?
Bleed after surgery
What are the bleeding tendencies of someone with moderate haemophilia?
Bleed after minor trauma
What are the bleeding tendencies of someone with severe haemophilia?
Spontaneous joint/muscle bleeds - this can lead to crippling arthritis if not treated