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Normal haemostasis

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When a blood vessel is damaged, three processes are important in stopping haemorrhage:

  • vascular spasm in response to injury
  • platelet plug formation on the damaged endothelial surface
  • activation of the coagulation cascade

Defects with respect to any of these processes cause delayed cessation of bleeding. The type of disorder influences the pattern of bleeding.

If there are vascular or platelet defects then this results in bleeding from small vessels which manifests as cutaneous and mucosal bleeding e.g. epistaxis or GI haemorrhage.

In contrast, coagulation disorders characteristically cause bleeding into deeper tissues e.g. subcutaneous or intramuscular haematomata or joint bleeds (haemarthroses).


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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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