Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation is the name give to the situation that arises when the clotting cascades are activated inappropriately throughout the whole of the circulation (which is exactly what the phrase describes). While the trigger factors are unknown, it is associated with malignancy, infection, trauma and complications of pregnancy and childbirth. Because there is so much coagulation occurring clotting factors, and platelets, get used up, so, paradoxically, there is uncontrollable bleeding in some places, and blocked vessels in others. It may lead to Haemolytic Uraemic Syndrome, a condition where the red cells become broken (haemolysed) by the blood clots in the vessels, and the kidneys fail, causing the level of urea in the blood to rise (uraemia). This condition has a high mortality.
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