A continuous heparin infusion is to begin at 15 units/kg/hr for a client weighing 82 kg. Available: 25,000 units of heparin in 250 mL D5W. Calculate the mL/hr. (the pump is capable of delivering in tenths of an mL).

Convert the dosage to mcg per hour:

15mcg/min×60min/hr=900mcg/hr15

Convert the available nitroglycerin concentration to mcg/mL:

25mg=25,000mcg

Theconcentrationis(25,000mcg/250mL)=100mcg

Calculate the flow rate in mL per hour using the dosage and concentration:

Flowrate(mL/hr)=(900mcg/hr100mcg/mL)=9mL/hr

A) Antibiotics
Antibiotics are medications used to treat infections by killing or inhibiting the growth of bacteria. They do not have any direct effect on clot formation. Antibiotics work by targeting specific parts of bacterial cells, such as cell walls, proteins, or DNA, but they do not interfere with the blood coagulation system. Therefore, antibiotics are not a drug group that inhibits clot formation.

B) Analgesics
Analgesics are pain-relieving medications used to reduce pain, and they include both non-opioid (e.g., acetaminophen, NSAIDs) and opioid medications (e.g., morphine, oxycodone). While some analgesics, particularly nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can affect platelet function and may slightly influence clotting, their primary function is to relieve pain.

C) Antidepressants
Antidepressants are medications used to treat mood disorders, including depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric conditions. These drugs work by altering the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, or dopamine. Antidepressants do not directly affect blood clotting mechanisms, although some classes, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), can have mild anticoagulant effects due to their impact on platelet aggregation.

D) Anticoagulants
Anticoagulants inhibit the coagulation cascade, a series of complex biochemical reactions that lead to the formation of a blood clot. Common examples of anticoagulants include warfarin, heparin, and the newer direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) such as rivaroxaban and apixaban. Anticoagulants are primarily used to reduce the risk of clot formation in conditions such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and atrial fibrillation (AF), and they are essential in managing and preventing clot-related complications.