Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

Signs and symptoms of DIC may include:

• Bruising, which may appear easily, and often in various areas as small dots or larger patches
• Bleeding at the site of wounds from surgical cuts or from placement of a needle
• Bleeding from the nose, gums, or mouth, including when you brush your teeth
• Blood in the stools from bleeding in the intestines or stomach. Stools may appear dark red or like tar.
• Blood in the urine
• Chest pain, trouble breathing, and shortness of breath
• Confusion, speech changes or trouble speaking, dizziness, or seizures
• Headaches
• Low blood pressure
• Pain, redness, warmth, and swelling in the lower leg
• Unusually heavy periods

DIC can lead to complications resulting from overactive clotting or from the bleeding that follows. These complications can be life-threatening and may include:

• Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
• Bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract  (GI tract) or elsewhere in the body if you have acute DIC. This is not common in chronic DIC, since clotting develops more slowly, and your body can make enough platelets and clotting factors.
• Heart attack, if a blood clot blocks or limits blood flow to your heart
• Multiple organ failure, if blood clots prevent oxygen from reaching your organs. These organs can include the lungs and kidneys, followed by the brain, heart, liver, spleen, adrenal glands, pancreas, and the GI tract.
• Shock
• Stroke, if a blood clot blocks or limits blood flow to your brain, or if there is bleeding in the brain
• Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which can include blood clots in the lungs, called pulmonary embolism, or in the deep veins of the legs, called deep vein thrombosis

• Diagnosis will explain tests and procedures used to detect signs of DIC and help rule our other conditions that may mimic DIC.
• Treatment will discuss treatment-related complications or side effects.