Haemostasis Flashcards
Definition
The arrest of bleeding and the maintenance of vascular patency
What does primary haemostats involve?
Formation of the platelet plug
If someone gets a minor injury, e.g. paper cut, primary homeostasis and secondary homeostasis is usually activated. True or false?
False
- only primary homeostasis
What does secondary homeostasis involve?
Formation of the fibrin clot
What is the function of fibrin clot formation in secondary homeostasis?
Protien mesh that holds the platelets in a secure position so that they cannot be washed away by blood flowing through the body
Describe fibrinolysis
When a blood clot forms, the body wants to break it down to allow blood flow and restore patency
What b/d plasminogen -> plasmin?
tPA
What can be used as a measure of fibrinolysis?
D dimers
What happens in primary homeostasis
- Endothelial (vessel wall) damage
- Collagen is exposed
- release of vWF (which platelets have receptors for)
- platelets are attracted to the area, they come and stick to the collagen (platelet adhesion) - Secretion of various chemicals from platelets
- leads to aggregation of the platelets at the site of injury - Activation
- when platelets stick to each other, they change shape
Screening test for primary homeostasis
Platelet count
Where does secondary haemostasis occur?
On the surface of the platelet plug that has formed in primary haemostasis
The function of secondary homeostasis is to secure the platelet plug in place?
YEs
Platelets in the platelet plug are full of ?
Phospholipid
Clotting factors have a positive/negative charge?
Negative
Where are clotting factors usually made?
In the liver (mainly in hepatocytes)
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - initiation
Endothelial injury -> Tissue factor exposed.
This recruits factor VII and activates it (VIIa)
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - TF/VIIa complex goes on to activate
Factor V and X
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - which clotting factors cause prothrombin -> thrombin
Factor Va and Xa
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - activation of thrombin
Factor IIa
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - activation of thrombin activates which 2 clotting factors
VIIIa and IXa
VIIIa and IXa allow more of ___ and ___ to be activated
Va and Xa
What is fibrinogen activated by?
Thrombin
Secondary homeostasis - activation of clotting factors - activation of fibrin
Factor Ia
name 2 screening tests for secondary homeostasis
Prothrombin time (PT)
Activates partial thromboplastin time (APTT)
Prothrombin time (PT) - which clotting factors does it measure
VII V X Prothrombin (II) Fibrinogen (I)
Prothrombin time (PT) - which colour of lid is on the sample bottle?
Light blue
Prothrombin time (PT) - what does it measure
The amount of time it takes to form a fibrin clot from liquid blood
What is a normal PT
12-16 seconds
When may PT be abnormal
Abnormality of clotting factors - VII, V, X, prothrombin, fibrinogen
Use of oral anti-coagulants
APTT - what does it measure
The amount of time it takes to form a thrombin clot
what is a normal APTT
26-37 seconds
Prolonged APTT
Normal PT
If this picture occurs, which clotting factors are affected?
VIIIa
IXa
Name 4 naturally occurring anticoagulants
Factor V Leiden
Antithrombin
Protein C
Protein S
The action of antithrombin is greatly potentiated by _____
Heparin
how does antithrombin switch off blood clotting
Binds to an inactivates thrombin formation
Switches off Xa formation
Activated protein C switches off which 2 clotting factors
V
VIII
This reduces further thrombin generation
What is protein S
A co-factor for protein C
If you have factor V leiden gene then you cannot make normal factor V. True or false?
False
- can make normal factor V but it means that factor V is less efficiently switched off by protein C+S
What are the 4 clotting factors
II, VII, IX, X
For clotting factors to be activated, they require ?
Vitamin K
What does vitamin K do to clotting factors?
Carboxylates clotting factors
What is the investigation for the extrinsic pathway
PT
What is the investigation for the intrinsic pathway
APTT