Blood components

The blood components which are most commonly given to patients with DIC are:

• platelets
  
  
• fresh frozen plasma:
  • a good source of fibrinogen, clotting factors and anticoagulants such as antithrombin and protein C
    
    
• cryoprecipitate:
  • a source of fibrinogen used only if fresh frozen plasma is insufficient to maintain fibrinogen levels above 0.5 g/l

The following are widely accepted indications for administering blood components:

• active bleeding
• invasive procedures

Regimes include:

• when the platelet count is below 50x10^9/l give 1 unit of platelets per 10 kg
• fresh frozen plasma is given in doses of 15 ml/kg

The effect of treatment on the clotting function should be assessed immediately and after several hours to assess the severity of the consumptive coagulopathy.