VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY

Course overview

VITAMIN K REFERS TO A GROUP OF FAT-SOLUBLE COMPOUNDS INVOLVED IN COAGULATION, BONE DEVELOPMENT, AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH. VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO SIGNIFICANT BLEEDING, POOR BONE DEVELOPMENT, OSTEOPOROSIS, AND INCREASED RISK OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE. VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY BLEEDING (VKDB) IN NEWBORNS CAN BE SEPARATED INTO THREE CATEGORIES BASED ON THE TIMING OF THE PRESENTATION. EARLY VKDB PRESENTS WITHIN 24 HOURS OF BIRTH, CLASSIC VKDB PRESENTS WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK, AND LATE VKDB PRESENTS BETWEEN 1 AND 12 WEEKS OF LIFE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE CAUSES, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, AND PRESENTATION OF VITAMIN K DEFICIENCY BLEEDING IN NEWBORNS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ITS MANAGEMENT.