[Principles of the therapy for disseminated intravascular coagulation: current status and new trends].

The current status and new trends of therapy for disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) are reviewed. The therapeutic strategies consist of elimination of the underlying diseases, anticoagulant therapy, replacement therapy and general supportive care. The approach to eliminate the underlying disease process represents the most important therapeutic modality. Most patients need anticoagulant therapy in conjunction with specific factor replacement. Unfractionated heparin, antithrombin III concentrate, gabaxate mesilate and nafamostat mesilate are currently used as anticoagulants. Low-molecular-weight heparin, heparinoid, activated protein C, argatroban, hirudin and thrombomodulin are under clinical or animal studies to evaluate their effectiveness in DIC. Clinical and laboratory manifestations are extremely variable among patients, depending in part on the underlying diseases. Management should be individualized for each patient.