Abstract

ARISTIZABAL HENAO, Natalia; MADRID MUNOZ, Camilo Alberto  and  RESTREPO GUTIERREZ, Juan Carlos. Chronic hepatopathy: bleeding vs. thrombosis. Rev Col Gastroenterol [online]. 2011, vol.26, n.4, pp.285-291. ISSN 0120-9957.

Coagulation alterations in patients with chronic liver disease occur frequently, although they are usually described as auto-anticoagulation phenomena. Changes in hemostasis are broad and diffuse. They include changes in procoagulant and anticoagulant substances, hemodynamic modifications, endothelial dysfunction and platelet malfunction which are the causes of different clinical conditions varying from hemorrhaging to thrombosis. Given the complexity of theses alterations, laboratory tests do not correlate well with the clinical events. Treatment for these patients has been controversial. Currently we do not have objective methods for determining the hemostatic balance between bleeding and thrombosis in patients with chronic liver disease. In addition to this, the medical literature does not include guidelines for dealing with this special population. Also, the risk of thrombosis indicates the need to consider the use of thromboprophylaxis.

Keywords : Chronic liver disease; bleeding; hemorrhaging; coagulopathy and thrombosis.

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