Coagulopathies and the intensive care setting.

The preservation of vascular integrity and blood flow is essential for vital functions. The dynamic equilibrium between bleeding and clotting can be set awry by stimulation of the inflammatory or immune response or by unchecked activation of the coagulation or fibrinolytic systems. It is through greater understanding of the complex interplay between these pathways that we are able to develop agents that can, with increasing specificity, manipulate coagulation and restore hemostasis.