Vitamin K plays a role in your blood clot formation and bone health. Many types of food contain vitamin K, and it is rare to have a deficiency. Vitamin K is an essential cofactor in the activation of certain proteins within your body. Without the...
Formation of a blood clot in response to tissue injury involves the sequential activation of a group of proteins called the coagulation factors. Tissue injury leads to the release of chemicals that activate the blood clotting system, also known as...
Vitamin K is a fat soluble vitamin that is broken down and absorbed by fat throughout your body. Since it is readily available from several foods in your diet, and because your body can make it, deficiency is rare. Vitamin K plays several key...
For mild to moderate cases of hemophilia, the medicine desmopression or DDAVP can be an effective treatment. It is a man-made hormone designed to stimulate your blood to release more of its own clotting factor. Doctors can give it to you...
Coagulation refers to the process your body goes through to arrive at a blood clot that is designed to stop your body from bleeding when it suffers an injury. The two main pathways to coagulation are extrinsic and intrinsic. Both mechanisms rely...
Hemophilia is a rare, genetic bleeding disorder caused from a deficiency of specific clotting factors. Prompt treatment of bleeding episodes is necessary to prevent long-term complications. Vitamin K plays a role in blood clotting and a deficiency...
Hemophilia, a blood clotting disorder, is a serious inherited disease affecting mostly males. Hemophilia requires lifelong management and continuing treatment to prevent spontaneous bleeding, or bleeding after injury or surgery. People with...
Heparin, an injectable medication that inhibits blood clotting, is used to treat people with an increased risk of developing blood clots. People undergoing certain surgeries, people with heart problems that could lead to clotting within the heart...
Platelets are blood cells that help the blood to clot. Blood clotting disorders, such as thrombosis, hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura can cause too many blood clots or make it difficult for the blood to clot normally. These...
A blood clot refers to a collection of blood that can obstruct blood flow. Sometimes, this clot can lodge itself into the vessels in the legs. In some instances, they can block blood vessels in the lungs or blood clots may not form at all. Blood...
Factor VIII is a type of clotting factor in the blood that helps blood clots form and stop bleeding in response to an injury, according to Mayo Clinic. When there is a deficiency of factor VIII, the body cannot stop bleeding on its own. This...
Clotting is a critical function of blood--without the ability to clot, any small injury would quickly lead to catastrophic loss of blood volume, and death. Instead, under normal conditions, injured blood vessels have the ability to send cellular...
Vitamins and enzymes work with blood cells called platelets to make blood clotting possible. Clotting factors inside of your blood begin the process with a cascade of reactions that eventually lead to platelets forming a fibrous clot. Taking an...
Coumadin, also known as warfarin, is a medication useful in the prevention of blood clots. The foods you eat and the beverages you drink may be interfering with the way Coumadin is acting on your blood. Your diet should help slow the progression...
Hematologic diseases specifically refer to diseases affecting the blood. Sometimes, people can be prone to bleeding due to inherited disorders. In some instances, the blood does not clot properly and in others, hemoglobin, the pigment component of...
Hepatitis is a term used to describe inflammation of the liver. Any agent that injures your liver's cells can cause hepatitis, including bacteria and viruses, toxins, medications or even excess dietary fat. Most causes of hepatitis are reversible,...
Genetic blood diseases are the result of DNA mutations that have spread throughout a population via genetic inheritance. These disorders can cause problems ranging from excessive bleeding to an inability of the blood to efficiently carry oxygen.
Vitamins typically help promote the normal functioning of your bodily processes. The same holds true for the mechanism by which your blood clots. When you are on warfarin, a medication that inhibits your body's ability to clot blood, you must be...
Your doctor has told you that you need a blood transfusion and perhaps you do not understand why. There are different types of blood components that are transfused in anemia, trauma, clotting abnormalities and chronic blood loss. A few other...
Bruises are hardly unusual in children as they tend to fall down, run into each other and bump the furniture regularly. But bruising that occurs spontaneously or that seems out of proportion to an injury needs investigation. Many diseases can...
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is found in kale, Swiss chard, broccoli, parsley and most other green plants. Animal sources of vitamin K include liver, egg yolks, milk, yogurt and fish liver oils. Polyunsaturated oils, such as canola oil,...
Anticoagulants are popularly called blood thinners, although they do not thin blood. Instead, they prevent blood clotting by inhibiting clotting factor synthesis, inhibiting thrombin or by interfering with blood platelet formation. They will not...
Hemophilia, an inherited disease, affects around 18,000 people in the United States, mostly males, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Hemophilia A, the most common type of hemophilia, affects 85 percent of...
The liver is a large organ in the upper right abdomen, protected by the lower rib cage. This organ carries out more than 500 known functions, according to the University of Virginia Health System. Liver functions can be broadly grouped into...
The nose contains small blood vessels covered with a thin layer of skin that is easily damaged. When the nose becomes dry and irritated by rubbing, the skin can break and the blood vessels burst, causing an occasional nosebleed. When nosebleeds...
Vitamin K, also known as phylloquinone or K1 and menaquinone or K2, is a fat-soluble vitamin that maintains healthy blood clotting and prevents excessive bleeding and hemorrhage. Most of it is stored in the liver, however, your body needs a...
The blood contains at least 20 proteins, called clotting factors, and a number of blood cell fragments that are responsible for forming clots in the blood. When a person gets injured, clots form and plug the wound to prevent excessive bleeding....
When you cut yourself or scrape the skin, the blood will flow freely at first, then slow and begin the process of forming a clot. Eventually the injury will scar over and heal. Large, deep cuts that lose blood easily or injuries to arteries can be...
Blood thinners are medications that inhibit the formation of blood clots. They are helpful for those who are at risk of stroke, myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism due to blood clots that travel and lodge within the brain, heart or lungs....
Hemophilia is a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency of clotting factors in the blood. Learn more about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of hemophilia in this free health video.
Liver disease is a collection of several different diseases affecting the liver. Watch this video to learn about the various diseases and how to prevent and treat them.
Pulmonary embolism is a serious condition induced by chest pains and long periods of being inactive. Learn more about pulmonary embolism and possible treatments in this medical video.