In which disease, blood does not clots?

NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2020

Medical & Surgical Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NCL (MP) Nursing Officer - 2020

Explanation

Hemophilia is a hereditary bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in specific clotting factors.
In Hemophilia A, there is a lack of Factor VIII, and in Hemophilia B, there is a lack of Factor IX.
This deficiency prevents the formation of a stable fibrin clot, leading to prolonged and excessive bleeding from injuries.
The blood clotting cascade is interrupted, so even minor cuts can result in significant blood loss.

Option A: Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder affecting hemoglobin production. This leads to anemia (a low number of red blood cells or a low amount of hemoglobin in the cells), not a failure of the clotting mechanism.
Option B: Lung cancer is a malignancy and not a primary bleeding disorder. While advanced cancer can sometimes cause bleeding or, conversely, a hypercoagulable state (increased risk of clots), it is not defined by the blood's inability to clot.
Option D: Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels. While it can lead to long-term complications like vascular damage, it does not directly impair the function of clotting factors or prevent blood from clotting.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing Pathophysiology of common bleeding and blood disorders helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
Nurses must be vigilant for signs of bleeding in patients with hemophilia, such as joint pain/swelling (hemarthrosis), large bruises (hematomas), and prolonged bleeding from IV sites or minor injuries.
Patient education is a critical nursing role. This includes teaching the patient and family to avoid contact sports, use soft-bristled toothbrushes, and avoid medications that interfere with clotting, like aspirin and NSAIDs.
What if? If a patient with known hemophilia reports a sudden, severe headache, vomiting, or confusion, the nurse must suspect an intracranial hemorrhage. This is a medical emergency requiring immediate factor replacement therapy and neurological assessment.

How to Approach the Question

First, understand the question's core concept: it asks for a disease where blood fails to clot.
Analyze each option based on its fundamental pathophysiology.
Recall that Hemophilia is the classic genetic disorder defined by a deficiency in clotting factors.
Eliminate Thalassemia, as it's a disorder of hemoglobin and red blood cells, causing anemia.
Rule out Lung cancer, which is a malignancy, and Diabetes, a metabolic disorder, as neither is primarily characterized by a failure of blood coagulation.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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