PHYSIOLOGY/PATHOLOGY - Haemostasis and Haemostatic Disorders Flashcards
What is haemostasis?
Haemostasis is a normal physiological mechanism that prevents the escape of blood from a ruptured vessel and initiates healing
Describe the process of platelet plug formation
- Injury to the endothelium triggers the release of tissue factor and expression of Von Willebrands factors
- Platelets adhere to Von Willebrands factors expressed on the endothelial cells
- Adhered platelets will release ADP and thromboxane A to attract and activate more platelets
- Platelets aggregate to form a platelet plug at the site of injury
What is thrombocytopenia?
Thrombocytopenia is a decrease in circulating platelets
What are the seven possible clinical signs of thrombcytopenia?
Epistaxis
Ecchymoses
Petechiae
Haematuria
Haematochezia
Melaena
Hyphaema
What is epistaxis?
A nosebleed
What is the difference between haematochezia and melaena?
Haematochezia is the passage of fresh blood in the faeces whereas melaena is the passage of partially digested blood in the faeces
What is hyphaema?
An accumulation of blood in the anterior chamber of the eye
How should you diagnose thrombocytopenia?
Complete blood count (CBC)
Blood smear
Manual platelet count
(T/F) Platelet function disorders present with thrombocytopenia
FALSE. Platelet function disorders are a dysfunction of platelet function rather than a decrease in the number of platelets in the blood
Which test can be done to test platelet function?
Buccal mucosal bleeding test
Name an example of a platelet function disorder
Von Willebrands disease
How should you diagnose Von Willebrands disease?
Buccal mucosal bleeding test to task platelet function followed by an ELISA - if the percentage of Von Willebrands is less than 50%, this is indicative of Von Willebrands disease
What triggers the extrinsic coagulation cascade?
Injured endothelial cells expose a tissue factor which stimulates the extrinsic coagulation cascade
Describe the common coagulation cascade
- Extrinsic or intrinsic coagulation pathway stimulates the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin
- Thrombin activates factor 13 as well as converts soluble fibrinogen into insoluble loose fibrin threads
- Activated factor 13 connects the loose fibrin threads to form and stabilise a fibrin network
- Fibrin network contracts, pulling the erythrocytes together (erythrocytes go from a biconcave to tetrahedral shape) to form a blood clot
What is fibrinolysis?
The dissolution of blood clots