Platelet function in uraemia

Abstract

Haemostasis is abnormal in uraemic patients with end-stage chronic renal failure. There is a risk of bleeding due to a failure of primary haemostasis,(1) yet at the same time arteriovenous shunt thrombosis is common(2) and the incidence of occlusive arterial disease is increased.(3) Both bleeding and thrombotic tendencies thus co-exist. There is a great deal of information about the former, less about the latter.