Haemostasis Flashcards
Define haemostasis.
- The cellular and biochemical processes that enables both the specific and regulated cessation of bleeding in response to vascular insult
What is the function of haemostasis (3)?
- Prevention of blood loss from intact vessels
- Arrest bleeding from injured vessels
- Enable tissue repair
Outline the process of haemostasis (4 stages).
- Vessel constriction
- Primary haemostasis: Formation of an unstable platelet plug
- Secondary haemostasis: Stabilisation of the plug with fibrin
- Fibrinolysis: Vessel repair and dissolution of clot
Describe the first step of haemostasis (vessel constriction) (1A / 1E).
Action:
* Vascular smooth muscle cells contract locally
Effect:
* Limits blood flow to injured vessel
Describe the second step of haemostasis (primary haemostasis) (2A / 2E).
Primary haemostasis: Formation of an unstable platelet plug
Action:
* Platelet adhesion
* Platelet aggregation
Effect:
* Limits blood loss
* Provides surface for coagulation
Describe the third step of haemostasis (secondary haemostasis) (1A / 1E).
Secondary haemostasis: Stabilisation of the plug with fibrin
Action:
* Blood coagulation
Effect:
* Stops blood loss
Describe the fourth step of haemostasis (fibrinolysis) (2A / 1E).
Fibrinolysis: Vessel repair and dissolution of clot
Action:
* Cell migration / proliferation
* Fibrinolysis
Effect:
* Restores vessel integrity
What are the disorders of primary haemostasis divided into (cause specific) (3)?
- Platelets caused
- Von Willebrand Factor caused
- Vessel wall caused
What are the platelet caused disorders of primary haemostasis (2)?
- Thrombocytopenia (low numbers)
- Impaired platelet function
What are the causes of thrombocytopenia leading to disorders of primary haemostasis (3)?
-
Bone marrow failure:
- e.g. Leukaemia / B12 deficiency
-
Accelerated clearance:
- Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) / Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)
- Pooling and destruction in an enlarged spleen
What are the causes of impaired platelet function leading to disorders of primary haemostasis (2)?
- Hereditary absence of glycoproteins or storage granules
-
Acquired due to drugs:
- Aspirin / NSAIDs / Clopidogrel (common)
What is the Von Willebrand factor caused disorder of primary haemostasis (1)?
- Von Willebrand disease
VWF has two functions in haemostasis:
* Binding to collagen and capturing platelets
* Stabilising Factor VIII
* Factor VIII may be low if VWF is very low
What are the causes of Von Willebrand disease (2)?
-
Hereditary decrease of quantity and / or function (common)
- Deficiency of VWF (Type 1 or 3)
- VWF with abnormal function (Type 2)
- Acquired due to antibody (rare)
VWF has two functions in haemostasis:
* Binding to collagen and capturing platelets
* Stabilising Factor VIII
* Factor VIII may be low if VWF is very low
What are the vessel wall caused disorders of primary haemostasis (2)?
-
Inherited connective tissue disorders (rare):
- Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia / Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
-
Acquired (common):
- Steroid therapy / Ageing (‘senile’ purpura) / Vasculitis / Scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency)
How would a patient with suspected primary haemostasis disorder present (8)?
Typical primary haemostasis bleeding:
* Immediate
* Prolonged bleeding from cuts
* Nose bleeds (epistaxis): prolonged > 20 mins
* Gum bleeding: prolonged
* Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia)
* Bruising (ecchymosis), may be spontaneous / easy
* Prolonged bleeding after trauma or surgery
Skin signs:
* Petechiae
* Purpura
What investigations are suggested in suspected primary haemostasis disorder (5)?
- Platelet count
- Platelet morphology
- Bleeding time (PFA100 in lab)
- Assays of von Willebrand Factor
- Clinical observation
N.B. Coagulation screen (PT, APTT) is normal (except more severe VWD cases where FVIII is low)
What are the management principles of primary haemostasis disorder (6)?
Failure of production/function:
* Replace missing factor / platelets e.g. VWF containing concentrates
* Prophylactic
* Therapeutic
* Stop drugs e.g. aspirin/NSAIDs
Immune destruction:
* Immunosuppression (e.g. prednisolone)
* Splenectomy for ITP
Increased platelet consumption:
* Treat cause
* Replace as necessary
What haemostatic treatments are used in the management of primary haemostasis disorder (4)?
-
Desmopressin (DDAVP)
- Vasopressin analogue
- 2-5 fold increase in VWF (and FVIII)
- Releases endogenous stores (so only useful in mild disorders)
-
Tranexamic acid
- Antifibrinolytic
- Fibrin glue / spray
- Other approaches e.g hormonal (oral contraceptive pill for menorrhagia)
What are the disorders of secondary haemostasis divided into (cause specific) (3)?
- Deficiency of coagulation factor production
- Dilution of coagulation factor
- Increased consumption of coagulation factor
What are the deficiency-of-coagulation-factor-production-caused disorders of secondary haemostasis (4)?
Hereditary:
* Factor VIII/IX: haemophilia A/B (respectively)
Acquired:
* Liver disease - decreased production
* Most coagulation factors are synthesised in the liver
* Anticoagulant drugs
* Warfarin
* Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs)
Deficiency of coagulation factor:
* Factor VIII and IX (Haemophilia)
* Severe but compatible with life
* Spontaneous joint and muscle bleeding
* Prothrombin (Factor II)
* Lethal
* Factor XI
* Bleed after trauma but not spontaneously
* Factor XII
* No bleeding at all
What is the dilution-of-coagulation-factor-caused disorder of secondary haemostasis (1)?
Acquired:
* Blood transfusion
* Red cell transfusions no longer contain plasma
* Major haemorrhage requires transfusion of plasma as well as red cells and platelets
What are the increased-consumption-of-coagulation-factor-caused disorders of secondary haemostasis (2)?
Acquired:
* Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (common)
* Immune – autoantibodies (rare)