Hemostasis and thrombosis

Abstract

Hemostasis and thrombosis Thomas DeLoughery; Austin; 1999; Landes; 212 pages. A practical understanding of bleeding and coagulation disorders has become essential for the many medical disciplines involved in the management of patients with vascular disease. Hemostasis and Thrombosis is intended to be “a resource for both the common and uncommon hemostatic problems that health care providers often face in clinical practice.” As a compact, spiral-bound handbook, it is designed to be a guide for the diagnosis and management of patients with hemostatic and thrombotic disorders. The first chapter summarizes the basics of coagulation (including descriptions of both the classic coagulation cascade and the “new” or “in vivo” model of coagulation), fibrinolysis, and platelet function. Simplistic diagrams complement the text in this chapter, making this fundamental topic understandable at a basic level. The following chapter concisely reviews the laboratory evaluation of hemostasis and thrombosis, providing essential background concerning both routine and special testing. Building on this foundation, the remainder of the text is divided into two sections: first, a review of the diagnostic and management approach to the bleeding disorders and then thrombotic disorders. A general diagnostic approach to the bleeding disorders is provided followed by dedicated chapters on hemophilia, von Willebrand's disease, other inherited and acquired bleeding disorders, disseminated intravascular coagulation, liver and renal disease, cardiac bypass, immune thrombocytopenia, and thrombotic microangiopathy. Clinically useful information concerning nonblood products and transfusion therapy for bleeding disorders is also provided. The remaining portion of the book reviews the thrombotic diseases including deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; thrombosis in unusual sites; hypercoagulable states; and treatment approaches to cardiac disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Separate chapters are dedicated to treatment modalities including heparin, warfarin, antiplatelet agents, and thrombolytic therapy. The last two chapters cover bleeding and thrombosis in cancer patients and in pregnancy. As a handbook, Hemostasis and Thrombosis provides essential clinical background on this group of diseases. Especially useful are the chapters on treatment modalities, which include up-to-date information on many of the new antithrombotic and anticoagulation therapies. The chapters are well organized and deliver the information in a concise fashion. Recommended readings are also provided at the end of each chapter for more extensive review. In this regard, Hemostasis and Thrombosis should be considered a practical, “quick” reference for those seeking additional information on these disorders; it is certainly not a comprehensive source document. Clearly, an understanding of bleeding and coagulation disorders has become essential for health care providers involved in the management of patients with vascular disease. This interrelationship is exemplified by the many antithrombotic medications currently available for the management of cardiovascular disease, the different options for treating nonsurgical-related bleeding complications, the use of thrombolysis for acute thrombotic problems, and the role of hypercoagulable states in failed vascular interventional and surgical procedures, to name a few. Hemostasis and Thrombosis provides a practical starting point for those who wish to learn more about this area of medicine. doi:10.1067/mva.2000.106842