Coagulation disorder | Liver insufficiency – causes and therapy

Coagulation disorder

In the context of a liver insufficiency, for example due to liver cirrhosis, an acquired coagulation disorder occurs. This tendency to bleed is called a hemorrhagic diathesis. This is related to the fact that important coagulation factors are formed in the liver.

If the liver is not able to synthesize enough, a deficiency of coagulation factors occurs. These are mainly the clotting factors II, VII, IX and X, which are produced in the liver as a function of vitamin K. This greatly increases the tendency to bleed. This can be particularly dangerous if esophageal varices are present at the same time.

These occur very often in patients with liver cirrhosis and can lead to life-threatening bleeding if they burst open. Such a coagulation disorder is monitored using the laboratory parameters INR and Quick Value and is treated by substituting coagulation factors.

All articles in this series:

  1. Liver insufficiency – causes and therapy
  2. Therapy
  3. Laboratory values/blood values
  4. Coagulation disorder