Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an acquired syndrome involving systemic activation of coagulation. Clotting normally switches on at one injured spot and stays there. In DIC it switches on throughout the circulation. That one idea explains the paradox at the centre of the condition: DIC can cause both widespread microvascular thrombosis and life-threatening bleeding, in the same patient, at the same time. The International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) updated its definition in 2025. It describes DIC as an acquired, life-threatening intravascular disorder of systemic coagulation activation, dysregulated fibrinolysis and endothelial injury, resulting in microthrombosis. The same definition says DIC arises from various underlying causes and progresses from a potentially asymptomatic early phase to an advanced phase with haemorrhage, organ dysfunction or both. So a patient can be developing DIC while looking like nothing is wrong with their blood at all. Before reading the chain below, predict this: if a patient is making clots everywhere, what will run out first, and what will that patient do at an IV site? Follow the chain from cause to bedside: 1. Sepsis,...