Coagulopathy

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Coagulopathy, clotting disorder, and bleeding disorder, are a medical terms for a defect in the body's mechanism for blood clotting.

Causes

While there are several possible causes they generally result in excessive bleeding and a lack of clotting.

Acquired

Acquired causes of coagulopathy include anticoagulation with warfarin, liver failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Additionally, the haemotoxic venom from certain species of snakes can cause this condition e.g. Bothrops, rattlesnakes and other species of viper.

Autoimmune causes of acquired coagulation disorders

There are autoimmune causes of coagulation disorders. They include acquired antibodies to coagulation factors; termed inhibitors of coagulation. The main inhibitor is directed against Factor VIII Another example is antiphospholipid syndrome.

Genetic

Some people lack the genes which typically produce protein coagulation factors which allow normal clotting. Various types of Hemophilia and von Willebrand disease are the major genetic disorders associated with coagulopathy.

See also

• Coagulation

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