Haemostasis And Bleeding Disorders Flashcards
What are the 3 key steps to haemostasis?
- vasoconstriction (decreases pressure downstream and so helps limit bleeding)
- primary haemostasis- platelet plug forms in seconds to minutes, its fragile but may control bleeding
- secondary haemostatic plug forms as fibrin filaments stabilise the platelet plug- 30 mins
What activates platelets to stick together to form the primary plug?
- Collagen surfaces - tissue factor (within extravascular areas)
- ADP (released from other platelets to amplify response)
- Thromboxane A2 (also released by other platelets)
- thrombin
Describe the process of a primary plug forming
- damage to endothilium
- basement membrane exposed
- platelets bind to von willebrand factor in the subendothilial basement membrane
- they secrete ADP, thromboxane A2 ect which causes more platelets to aggregate and initiates clotting cascade
- platelets crosslink as they aggregate
- clotting cascade has started to produce fibrinogen which helps cross link them
- platelets swell and change shape into sticky spheres
How does aspirin decrease platelet aggregation?
- it irreversibly inactivates cyclooxygenase so thromoxane A2 cannot be produced
describe how the extrinsic and intrinsic pathway are initiated
intrinsic pathway: activated by abnormal surfaces that are negatively charged (bind via carboxyglutamate residues) (platelets not needed) eg collagen or glass (von willebrand releases factor 8 to help activate it)
extrinsic: activated by damaged cells near area of injury and platelets, this is through tissue factor release
How does warfarin work?
inhibits vitamin K production so clotting factors cannot be localised - it is also teratogenic
how does heparin work?
it is a co factor for antithrombin 3 so prevents clotting
How does the clotting cascade lead to a secondary plug?
- both pathways lead to prothrombin being activated to thrombin and this cleaving fibrinogen to fibrin
- fibrin acts as a mesh within the platelet plug to stabilise it
What factors oppose clotting to ensure it is not out of hand?
Protein C, S and antithrombin 3 are all released as the clot is being formed to ensure it is not excessive, these oppose the formation of fibrin by inhibiting certain areas of the clotting cascade.
Also dilution of clotting factors and fibrin degradation products
What enzyme is responsible for fibrinoylsis? what activates it
plasmin
activated by streptokinase, tissue plasminogen activator (activated by high fibrin levels) and urokinase
When can streptokinase be used therapeutically?
- can only be given once (its antigenic)
- will dissolve emboli and thromboemboli
Why is thrombosis risk high 7-10 days post surgery?
fibrinolytic activity remains low
What can be detected by blood and is produced as a result of a lots of fibrinolysis?
D- Dimers
What does the APTT (partial thromboplastin time) tell you?
The time taken for blood to clot by the intrinsic pathway (factors 12,9,10 and 8 and von willebrand factor)
What does the PT measure?
the prothrombin time
The time taken for extrinsic pathway- factor 7