Sandbox

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Rim Halaby, M.D. [2]

Overview

Sepsis is a life threatening condition.

Common Causes of DIC

• Infections:
  • Sepsis, particularly with gram-negative bacteria
  • Viral
  • Malaria
  • Rickettsial
• Obstetric complications (most common cause), with chemicals from the uterus being released into the blood. These include:
  • Amniotic fluid embolism
  • Eclampsia
  • Abruptio placentae
  • Placenta praevia
  • intra-uterine death
• Tissue trauma such as burns, accidents, surgery, heat stroke or shock.
• Liver disease:
  • Cirrhosis
  • Acute hepatic necrosis
• Incompatible blood transfusion reactions or massive blood transfusion (when more than the total circulatory volume is tranfused)
• Graft-versus-host disease
• Cancers, particularly of the following types, and especially when metastatic:
  • Stomach cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Mucin-secreting adenocarcinoma
  • Acute promyelocytic leukemia
• Viral hemorrhagic fevers bring about their frank effects, paradoxically, by causing DIC.
• Envenomation by some species of venomous snakes, such as those belonging to the genus Echis (saw-scaled vipers).