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Published on: September 9, 2012
Treatment options for clinically recognized disseminated intravascular coagulation
1Department of Hematology/Oncology, Virchow Klinikum, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany.
Insights
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) treatment requires identifying and treating the underlying cause. Therapeutic options include blood products, heparin, and newer agents to manage bleeding and clotting in this complex hemostatic disorder.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a complex hemostatic disorder with heterogeneous causes and presentations.
- Clinical symptoms range from bleeding and thromboembolism to organ failure, necessitating individualized treatment strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline current concepts in DIC etiology and pathophysiology.
- To discuss the principles and options for managing DIC based on clinical presentation and laboratory findings.
Main Methods:
- Review of current understanding of DIC pathogenesis.
- Analysis of established and emerging therapeutic interventions for DIC.
Main Results:
- Treatment hinges on prompt identification and management of the underlying cause of DIC.
- Therapeutic options include blood product transfusion, heparin, antithrombin III, antifibrinolytic agents, and newer drugs like activated protein C and tissue factor pathway inhibitor.
Conclusions:
- Tailored treatment strategies are essential for managing DIC, considering its diverse clinical manifestations.
- Ongoing research into novel and existing therapies will refine recommendations for DIC management across different etiologies.
Abstract:
Current concepts of etiology and pathophysiology resulting in disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) form the basis of treatment of this hemostatic disorder. Due to the heterogeneous triggering diseases and different kinds of DIC, clinical symptoms such as predominant bleeding, thromboembolic complications or organ failure, clinical experience together with the profile of laboratory test results and their development over time provide the basis for the individually tailored treatment strategy. The guiding principle of therapy is to identify and vigorously treat the underlying cause of DIC without delay. Treatment options to correct the hemostatic defect and to dampen the intravascular clotting/fibrinolytic process include transfusion of blood products, heparin, antithrombin III, and antifibrinolytic agents. The availability of new drugs such as activated protein C, tissue factor pathway inhibitor, hirudin, or synthetic serine protease inhibitors, and the upcoming trials investigating the role of these and older treatment options will help us to more clearly recommend therapy in DIC of different etiology.
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