Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T08:19:09.162Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Congenital and acquired bleeding problems in elderly patients

Part of: Bespoke shallow archive Weizmann

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 March 2006

AL Nicolle ,
KL Talks  and
JP Hanley
AL Nicolle
Affiliation:
Department of Haematology, Sunderland Royal Infirmary, Sunderland, UK
KL Talks
Affiliation:
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
JP Hanley
Affiliation:
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Bleeding in elderly patients is most commonly due to an underlying structural problem or an acquired coagulopathy. Occasionally, previously asymptomatic congenital bleeding disorders may present at an advanced age. When considering the possible causes of a clinical bleeding problem, the coagulation cascade is still a good starting-point. However, it is important to realize that the traditional model of the coagulation cascade has been superceded by the concept of a ‘coagulation network’. This updated model recognizes the importance of tissue factor in the initiation of coagulation. Despite the complexity of this model, the basic coagulation tests can still be interpreted in relation to the ‘intrinsic’, ‘extrinsic’ and ‘final common pathway’ components of the old-fashioned cascade (Figure 1).

Type
Clinical geriatrics
Information
Reviews in Clinical Gerontology , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , February 2005 , pp. 9 - 26
Copyright
© 2006 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)