Registered Electrical Engineering Licensure Practice Exam Prep and Study Guide

Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) is characterized by a complex interplay of coagulation processes leading to the formation of tiny blood clots throughout the body, which can cause widespread thrombosis. This process depletes platelets and clotting factors, ultimately leading to an increased risk of bleeding. Thus, a key feature of DIC is the combination of widespread thrombosis alongside bleeding complications.

This condition may arise as a secondary complication of various underlying issues, such as severe infections, trauma, or inflammatory conditions. The resultant thrombosis can compromise blood flow to organs, while the consumption of coagulation factors leads to an increased risk of hemorrhage. The simultaneous occurrence of clotting and bleeding set DIC apart from other conditions that may involve either one of these processes in isolation.

Other features such as fever and chills, localized infections, or persistent headaches may present in patients with DIC, but they are not defining characteristics of the syndrome itself. Instead, these symptoms could be indicative of the underlying condition or response to the severe physiological changes occurring in DIC.