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Patient handout

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC)

PRODUCTION

1. Your condition

This handout is for disseminated intravascular coagulation (dic). Your care team identified this based on: thrombocytopenia + abnormal pt/aptt in critically ill patient (isth 2009).

Other reasons your team may use this plan: bleeding from ≥2 sites (line, mucosal, surgical, wound) (isth 2009); digital ischemia, purpura fulminans, organ dysfunction with consumptive coagulopathy (isth 2009); aml m3 / apl with bleeding diathesis (eln apl 2019).

2. Your medications

Take these medications exactly as prescribed. Do not stop or change a dose without talking to your provider.

MedicationStarting doseHowWhenWhat it does
fresh frozen plasma (FFP)10-15 mL/kgIVreassess after each unitReplace coag factors; aim INR <1.5
cryoprecipitate1 unit/10 kg (or 10 units pooled)IVreassessTarget fibrinogen >150 mg/dL in active bleed; >200 in OB
platelets1 apheresis unitIVtarget ≥50 K (≥100 K CNS or active bleed)Maintain platelet count for hemostasis
prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC)25-50 IU/kgIVsingle doseRapid factor replacement; preferred over FFP for warfarin
vitamin K (phytonadione)5-10 mg IV/POIV/POsingleReverse warfarin / liver vitamin K deficiency
tranexamic_acid1 g IV over 10 min then 1 g over 8 hIVshort courseNOT routine in DIC — only when hyperfibrinolytic phenotype documented; risk of thrombosis

Plan: Supportive blood-product replacement for bleeding phenotype

4. When to seek emergency care

Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away if you have:

  • ISTH 2001 score ≥5 = overt DIC (ISTH 2009)
  • AML M3 / APL with thrombocytopenia + coagulopathy + Auer rods / faggot cells / t(15;17) (ELN APL 2019)(life-threatening)
  • Purpura fulminans + sepsis (often meningococcal) + DIC (ISTH 2009)(life-threatening)
  • Obstetric emergency (HELLP, AFE, abruption, retained fetus) with DIC (ISTH 2009)(life-threatening)
  • Active hemorrhage requiring ≥10 units RBC in 24 h (BSH 2020)(life-threatening)
  • Thrombotic / chronic phenotype DIC (microthrombi, digital ischemia, cancer-associated) (ISTH 2009; BSH 2020)
  • Schistocytes prominent (TTP DDx) OR recent heparin + thrombocytopenia (HIT DDx) (ISTH 2024)

5. Follow-up

Hematology, oncology, OB, ID per cause; thromboprophylaxis once safe

6. Sources

Guideline: ISTH 2001 Taylor DIC score + Wada DIC harmonization (JTH 2013) + Levi NEJM 1999 review + SCARLET JAMA 2019 + ELN APL 2019

  1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11816725
  2. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23379279
  3. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10451465