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HYPOPROTHROMBINAEMIA IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING PROLONGED INTENSIVE CARE
Author(s) -
Ham J. M.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb92503.x
Subject(s) - medicine , antibiotics , complication , vitamin , prothrombin time , intensive care , vitamin k , broad spectrum , surgery , anesthesia , gastroenterology , intensive care medicine , chemistry , biochemistry , combinatorial chemistry
Five patients developed hypoprothrombinaemia during the course of prolonged intensive care. Hæmorrhage requiring blood transfusion occurred in two patients, and minor bleeding was observed in two others. After the administration of vitamin K, the bleeding stopped in all cases, and the prothrombin times returned to normal, or near‐normal, values. Significant contributing factors were probably the absence of vitamin K intake, alteration of gut flora by broad‐spectrum antibiotics, and minor disturbances of liver‐cell function. This complication may be more common than has been recognized, particularly in minor degree. It should be simply prevented by the prophylactic administration of vitamin K.