Patients with traumatic brain injury are particularly prone to what abnormality?

• A. Coagulation abnormalities
• B. Hyperglycemia
• C. Hyperkalemia
• D. Hypovolemia

Answer: (A)

Traumatic brain injury commonly triggers a coagulation abnormality because brain injury releases tissue factor and other inflammatory mediators that disrupt normal hemostasis. This leads to a trauma-induced coagulopathy with impaired clot formation and potential consumption of clotting factors, increasing the risk of ongoing intracranial bleeding and hematoma expansion. This problem is especially critical in TBI, since uncontrolled bleeding within the skull can worsen injury and worsen outcomes, making early detection and correction of coagulopathy a central part of management. While hyperglycemia, electrolyte shifts like hyperkalemia, and volume loss can occur after trauma, they are not as specifically linked to brain injury as the development of a coagulation abnormality.