Factor X Deficiency—Bleeding Disorders

Also called: Clotting disorders

Normally, if you get hurt, your body forms a blood clot to stop the bleeding. For blood to clot, your body needs cells called platelets and proteins known as clotting factors. If you have a bleeding disorder, you either do not have enough platelets or clotting factors or they don’t work the way they should.

Bleeding disorders can be the result of other diseases, such as severe liver disease or a lack of vitamin K. They can also be inherited. Hemophilia is an inherited bleeding disorder. Bleeding disorders can also be a side effect of medicines such as blood thinners.

Various blood tests can check for a bleeding disorder. You will also have a physical exam and history. Treatments depend on the cause. They may include medicines and transfusions of blood, platelets, or clotting factor.

• Bleeding disorders (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Bleeding time (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) (Medical Encyclopedia)
• Prothrombin time (PT) (Medical Encyclopedia)

Factor X deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder that varies in severity among affected individuals. The signs and symptoms of this condition can begin at any age, although the most severe cases are apparent in childhood. Factor X deficiency commonly causes nosebleeds, easy bruising, bleeding under the skin, bleeding of the gums, blood in the urine (hematuria), and prolonged or excessive bleeding following surgery or trauma. Women with factor X deficiency can have heavy or prolonged menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) or excessive bleeding in childbirth, and may be at increased risk of pregnancy loss (miscarriage). Bleeding into joint spaces (hemarthrosis) occasionally occurs. Severely affected individuals have an increased risk of bleeding inside the skull (intracranial hemorrhage), in the lungs (pulmonary hemorrhage), or in the gastrointestinal tract, which can be life-threatening.