Deficiencies of what could cause abnormally slow blood clotting time?

Answer 1

Slow clotting time means that bleeding takes a longer time to stop. It could be caused by

- platelet deficiency or,

- insufficient/missing clotting factors

- anticoagulant therapy

Platelets (normally) are tiny disc-shaped fragments of a big cell (megakaryocyte). They form a temporary plug over the injury site. They also release certain chemicals which help with coagulation if the plug is not enough to stop the bleeding.

The condition, in what the absolute platelet numbers are less than sufficient, is called Thrombocytopenia. That could be the result of either the

- bone marrow does not make enough platelets (leukaemia, radiotherapy), or

- the platelets are destructed faster than the bone marrow makes them (immune disorders, drug therapy).

It also could the caused by

- viral infections,

- Disseminated intravascular coagulation disease

- Vitamin B12/folic acid deficiency

- menstruation.

Clotting factors are chemicals made mostly by the liver and some by the platelets.

The clotting factors are either twelve or thirteen in numbers, (depending on how number V, Proaccelerin, and number VI, Accerelin is included in the count), include four factors that the liver can only make if there is enough Vitamin K in the body.

Therefore, Vitamin K deficiency could also be one reason.

Certain bleeding disorders can interfere with clotting. They might be caused by:

- liver or renal disease, and again,

- Vitamin K deficiency,

- autoimmune diseases (Acquired Haemophilia, Acquired von Willebrand disease)

- Genetic disorders (where certain clotting factors are not made: Von Willebrand disease, Haemophilia A, and Haemophilia B, the Christmas disease)

Anticoagulant therapy

- Warfarin

- Heparin

- Aspirin

also do prolong the clotting time.

Answer 2

Hemophilia.
(Lack of certain clotting factors)