Disseminated intravascular coagulation. Approach to treatment.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is a syndrome caused by the systemic generation of thrombin. Most cases are due to pathological activation of the intrinsic coagulation systems (e.g. in sepsis), and/or the extrinsic system (e.g. in malignancy and head trauma). Diagnosis is made by finding abnormalities in at least 3 of 4 laboratory values, namely prothrombin time, platelet count, fibrinogen and fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products. The most common clinical manifestation of DIC is bleeding, with thrombosis in less than 10% of acute cases but more frequently encountered in chronic DIC associated with malignancy. Acute DIC must first be treated by specific therapy of the underlying disease and general support measures. If serial clinical and laboratory monitoring improves, no further treatment is required. If severe or life-threatening haemorrhage occurs or a thrombotic event ensues, heparin anticoagulation followed by aggressive replacement with platelets, fresh plasma and possibly cryoprecipitate is indicated. Heparin doses should be 'therapeutic' (i.e. adequate to overcome the coagulant forces that may have produced a relative heparin-resistant state in the blood). Chronic DIC with haemorrhage, or more usually thrombosis, should also be treated with heparin; warfarin is ineffective. If DIC persists because, for example, a tumour does not regress, long term outpatient subcutaneous heparin therapy may be required.