blood disorders
Clotting Disorders Caused by Circulating Anticoagulants
Introduction
Sometimes a malfunction of the body's immune system causes it to make antibodies that attack the person's own tissues (autoantibodies) instead of attacking foreign or dangerous substances. Such disorders are called Autoimmune Disorders . Circulating anticoagulants are usually autoantibodies that develop spontaneously (on their own and without a known cause) and decrease the activity of a specific clotting factor (a protein that helps the blood clot) and, therefore, cause Bruising and Bleeding (see also Circulating anticoagulants usually cause excessive bleeding. However, some people with certain types of circulating anticoagulants develop blood clots within an artery or vein instead of excessive bleeding. Such blood clots may cut off blood flow, causing redness and swelling as well as damage to the tissue supplied by the blood vessel. Circulating anticoagulants are suspected in patients with Bruising and Bleeding combined with abnormal coagulation test results. Treatment may include medications to suppress autoantibody production in patients without hemophilia. 