Bleeding disorders
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Bleeding disorders
Bleeding disorders prevent blood from clotting normally when a person is cut or injured. When the blood does not clot normally, even minor injuries can cause significant bleeding, which can lead to excessive blood loss or can damage muscles or joints.
Bleeding disorders occur when there is a problem with various components of the blood, including platelets and clotting factors.
- Platelets are blood cells that are the first defense against bleeding. They collect at the site of a wound and clump together to help stop the flow of blood.
- Clotting factors are substances in the blood that help the blood clot when vessels are damaged.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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