Clinical Cases

A number of clinically significant disorders of haemostasis exist.

• a decrease in the circulating level of platelets results in impaired haemostatic plug formation and a prolonged bleeding time e.g. thrombocytopenia.
• impaired haemostatic plug formation caused by abnormal platelet adhesion also results in a prolonged bleeding time e.g. von Willebrand's disease.
• coagulation disorders which may result in abnormal PT, APTT or TT depending which pathway is affected. Hereditary disorders of coagulation include deficiencies of factor VIII (haemophilia A), factor IX (haemophilia B). Acquired coagulation disorders include vitamin K deficiency, liver disease, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and the production of antibodies against certain clotting factors.

In this section you will be presented with a number of clinical cases. For each case you will be given a brief medical history, a haemostatic profile and the results of any extra relevant tests which were performed.

Glossary

Vitamin K - a fat soluble vitamin, whose levels often fall due to either inadequate dietary intake or administration of broad spectrum antibiotics which suppress synthesis of vitamin K in the gut. It is required for the synthesis of vitamin K dependent clotting factors.