hemostasis

Disseminated Intramuscular Coagulation (DIC)

A bleeding disorder characterized by widespread thrombotic and secondary fibrinolytic reactions

Hemophilia

A bleeding disorder resulting from a hereditary coagulation factor deficiency of dysfunction

Thrombus (pl. thrombi)

A blood clot that obstructs a blood vessel

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)

A blood disorder with varied causes and characterized by formation of clots in the small vessels, consumption of platelets, and skin purpura

Prothrombin time test

A coagulation screening test used to monitor oral anticoagulant therapy

Prothrombin ratio

A comparison of a patient's prothrombin time result with the mean prothrombin time of a normal population

Atherosclerosis

A form of arteriosclerosis in which lipids, calcium, cholesterol, and other substances deposit on the inner walls of the arteries

Hypercoagulation

A greater tendency than normal for blood to coagulate

Coagulation factors

A group of plasma proteins (and the mineral calcium) involved in blood clotting

Disseminated intravasuclar coagulation (DIC)

A hemostasis emergency characterized by widespread circulatory thrombotic events coexisting with fibrinolytic evenets

Megakaryocyte

A large bone marrow cell from which platelets are derived

Thromboplastin

A lipoprotein found in endothelium and other tissue; coagulation factor III; also called tissue factor

Embolus (pl. emboli)

A mass (clot) of blood or foreign matter carried in the circulation

Fibrinogen

A plasma protein produced in the liver and converted to fibrin through the action of thrombin

Collagen

A protein connective tissue found in skin, bone, ligaments, and cartilage

Fibrin

A protein formed from fibrinogen by the action of thrombin

Thrombin

A protein formed from prothrombin by the action of thromboplastin and other factors in the presence of calcium ions; factor IIa

Glycoprotein

A protein molecule having a carbohydrate component

Enzyme

A protein that causes or accelerates changes in other substances without being changed itself.

Inhibitor

A substance that retards or stops a process or chemical reactions

Activated clotting time (ACT)

A test that assess the effect of heparin on the ability of blood to clot

International sensitivity index (ISI)

A value assigned to each lot of prothrombin thromboplastin reagent to compensate for variations in sensitivities of thromboplastin from different sources

Vitamin K

A vitamin essential for production of coagulation factors II, VII, IX, X

International normalized ratio (INR)

A way of reporting a prothrombin time that takes into consideration the sensitivity of the prothrombin thromboplastin reagent used and the mean prothrombin time of a normal population

Thrombocytopathy

Abnormal platelet function

Arteriosclerosis

Abnormal thickening and hardening of the arterial walls, causing loss of elasticity and impaired blood circulation.

NSAIDs

Acronym for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Coumadin

An anticoagulant drug derived from coumarin that is administered orally to prevent blood clotting or to reduce the risk of clots; a trade name for warfarin

Warfarin

An anticoagulant drug taken to prevent blood clotting or to reduce the risk of clots

Heparin

An anticoagulant used therapeutically to prevent thrombosis; also used as an anticoagulant in certain laboratory procdures

Heparin

An anticoagulant used therapeutically to prevent thrombosis; also used as an anticoagulant in certain laboratory procedures

Plasmin

An enzyme that binds to fibrin and initiates breakdown of the fibrin clot (fibrinolysis)

von Willebrand's disease (vWD)

An inherited platelet disorder associated with decreased platelet adhesion and a bleeding tendency

XDPs

Degradation products formed by plasmin action on cross-linked fibrin and containing the D-dimer fragment.

Fibrinolysis

Enzymatic breakdown of a blood clot

FDPs

Fibrinogen or fibrin monomer degradation products formed when plasmin cleaves fibrinogen or fibrin monomers into protein fragments; formerly called fibrin split products

Ionized calicum

In the body; a mineral that plays an important role in hemostais

Sequestered

Isolated or set apart from the whole

Vasoconstriction

Narrowing of the diameter of a blood vessel

Pulmonary embolism (PE)

Occlusion of a pulmonary artery or one of its branches, usually caused by an embolus that originated in a deep vein of the leg or pelvis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT)

Occurrence of a thrombus within a deep vein, usually of the leg or pelvis

Purpura

Purple-colored areas that can occur in the skin, mucous membranes, or organs and that are cause when small blood vessels leak

Recombinant

Referring to molecules or cells created as a result of genetic engineering

Petechiae

Small, purplish hemorrhagic spots on the skin; very small purpura

Adhesion

The act of two parts or surfaces sticking together

Aggregation

The collecting of separate objects into one mass

Plasminogen

The inactive precursor of plasmin

Endothelium

The layer of epithelial cells that lines blood vessels and the serous cavities of the body

Partial thromboplastin

The liquid portion of thromboplastin, available as a commercial preparation; formerly called cephaloplastin

Prothrombin

The precursor of thrombin; factor II

Sepsis

The presence of microorganisms and/or their toxic products in the blood or other tissues

Coagulation

The process of forming a fibrin clot

Hemostasis

The process of stopping bleeding, which includes clot formation and dissolution

D-dimer

The smallest cross-linked fibrin degradation fragment formed from the breakdown of polymerized fibrin by plasmin

Hemorrhage

Uncontrolled bleeding

Intravascular

Within the blood vessels

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

a blood disorder characterized by purpura in skin and mucous membranes and low platelet count caused by the destruction of platelets by antiplatelet autoantibodies; also called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

XDPs

degradation products formed by plasmin action on cross-linked fibrin and containing the D-dimer fragment

FDPs

fibrinogen or fibrin degradation products formed when plasmin cleaves fibrinogen or fibrin monomers into protein fragments; formerly called fibrin split products

Epistaxis

nosebleed

D-dimer

the smallest cross-linked fibrin degradation fragment formed from the breakdown of polymerized fibrin by plasmin

Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)

the time required for a fibrin clot to form when CaCl2 is added to citrated plasma that has been activated with partial thromboplastin reagent