A 38-year-old member asked:

How would liver dysfunction cause bleeding disorders?

2 doctor answers6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Kelty Baker
Hematology 30 years experience
Liver and bleeding: The liver makes almost all clotting factors which prevent bleeding. When the liver isn't working correctly, these factors become low and the blood becomes "too thin". Also, liver disease causes an enlarged spleen and an enlarged spleen causes low platelets, the blood cells which are important in the early phases of blood coagulation. People with low platelets (thrombocytopenia) bleed easily.
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Dr. Susumu Inoue
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology 56 years experience
Liver makes clotting: The liver makes most of the proteins that make blood clot. Thus dysfunction of the liver results in deficiency of many clotting proteins leading to bleeding tendency. Another reason is that the liver converts inactive form of some of the clotting factors to active forms with the help of vitamin k. The liver dysfunction can not make this conversion fully, and thus bleeding tendency.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Similar questions

A 46-year-old member asked:

I was just wondering how can liver dysfunction cause bleeding disorders?

1 doctor answer1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Richard Roberts
Pediatrics 48 years experience
See article: "The liver plays a central role in the clotting process. Acute and chronic liver diseases are invariably associated with coagulation disorders due to multiple causes including: decreased synthesis of clotting and inhibitor factors,..". See http://www.aniara.com/Blog/Coagulation-Corner/archives/2010/11/LIVER-DISEASE-AND-COAGULATION-OUTCOMES.aspx
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Jul 13, 2018
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