A client on a cardiac unit is experiencing atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response of 140 beats per minute. The client is dizzy, short of breath, and hypotensive. Medications have not been effective at reducing the client's heart rate. Which procedure would the nurse anticipate to be performed for this client?

A. This option describes a phenomenon seen in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), not in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). In HIT, antibodies against the PF4-heparin complex can cause platelet activation and aggregation, leading to thrombocytopenia. However, this is not characteristic of ITP.
B. Abnormally long von Willebrand factor is seen in von Willebrand disease (VWD), not in ITP. VWD is a bleeding disorder caused by deficiency or dysfunction of von Willebrand factor, which plays a key role in platelet adhesion and aggregation. It is not typically associated with ITP.

C. ADAMTS13 deficiency is characteristic of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), not ITP. TTP is a rare blood disorder where small blood clots form in blood vessels throughout the body, leading to thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) and other complications. It is distinct from ITP.
D. In immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), the immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys platelets, leading to a low platelet count. Antibodies, particularly anti-platelet antibodies such as anti-GP IIb/IIIa or anti-GP Ib/IX, coat the surface of platelets. These antibody-coated platelets are recognized and destroyed by macrophages in the spleen and liver, contributing to thrombocytopenia.

A. Plasmapheresis, also known as plasma exchange, is a treatment where blood plasma containing harmful antibodies is removed from the blood and replaced with donor plasma or albumin. This procedure is effective in reducing the severity and duration of symptoms in GBS by removing the antibodies that attack the peripheral nerves. Plasmapheresis is typically recommended within the first 2 weeks of symptom onset to maximize its benefits.
B. Riluzole is a medication that modulates glutamate neurotransmission and is primarily used in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). While some studies have explored its potential use in GBS, its efficacy in GBS treatment remains uncertain and it is not considered a standard treatment.
C. Anticholinesterase agents, such as pyridostigmine, are used in conditions characterized by neuromuscular junction dysfunction, such as myasthenia gravis. However, in GBS, where the primary pathology is the demyelination of peripheral nerves rather than neuromuscular junction dysfunction, anticholinesterase agents are not effective and can potentially worsen symptoms.
D. Acyclovir is an antiviral medication primarily used to treat infections caused by herpesviruses, including herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV). It has no role in the treatment of GBS because GBS is not caused by viral infections.