If the patient PTT lab level is too long and greater than 80 seconds, the nurse should notify the doctor.
Which doctor’s order should the nurse anticipate?
Continue with the same dosage.
Hold dose.
Increase in dosage.
Decrease in dosage.
The Correct Answer is B
This is because a PTT (partial thromboplastin time) test measures how long it takes for blood to clot. A normal PTT range is between 25 to 35 seconds. If the patient’s PTT is too long and greater than 80 seconds, it means their blood is taking too long to clot and they are at risk of bleeding excessively. The nurse should notify the doctor and expect an order to hold the dose of heparin, a type of anticoagulant that prevents blood clots by prolonging the PTT.
Choice A is wrong because continuing with the same dosage of heparin would not correct the prolonged PTT and could cause more bleeding problems for the patient.
Choice C is wrong because increasing the dosage of heparin would further prolong the PTT and increase the risk of bleeding.
Choice D is wrong because decreasing the dosage of heparin would not be enough to bring the PTT back to normal range and would still pose a bleeding risk for the patient.
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Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Anticoagulant drugs are medicines that prevent blood clots from forming or growing larger.
They do not dissolve existing clots or transport platelets. They work by interfering with different steps of the blood coagulation pathway, which is the process that leads to clot formation.
Choice A is wrong because anticoagulant drugs do not dissolve existing clots.
To dissolve clots, you need fibrinolytic drugs, which break down the fibrin mesh that holds the clots together.
Choice B is wrong because anticoagulant drugs do not transport platelets.
Platelets are blood cells that stick together to form clots.
Anticoagulant drugs may affect the function of platelets, but they do not move them around.
Choice C is wrong because anticoagulant drugs do not act as fibrinolytic agents.
Fibrinolytic agents are drugs that activate plasmin, an enzyme that breaks down fibrin.
Anticoagulant drugs may inhibit the formation of fibrin, but they do not break it down.
Some examples of anticoagulant drugs are warfarin, heparin, and factor Xa inhibitors.
The normal ranges for some blood tests that measure the effects of anticoagulants are:
• Prothrombin time (PT): 11 to 13.5 seconds
• International normalized ratio (INR): 0.8 to 1.2
• Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT): 25 to 35 seconds
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
PT stands for prothrombin time, which is a measure of how long it takes the blood to clot. INR stands for international normalized ratio, which is a standardized way of reporting the PT result. Warfarin is a blood thinner that works by slowing down the clotting process.Therefore, people who take warfarin need to have their PT/INR monitored regularly to make sure they are getting the right dose and not bleeding too much or too little.
Choice A is wrong because PTT stands for partial thromboplastin time, which is another measure of blood clotting that is not affected by warfarin.PTT is used to monitor heparin, another type of blood thinner.
Choice C is wrong because CBC stands for complete blood count, which is a test that measures the number and types of cells in the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.CBC can show if there is anemia, infection or bleeding, but it does not measure the effect of warfarin on clotting.
Choice D is wrong because LFTs stand for liver function tests, which are a group of tests that check how well the liver is working.
LFTs can show if there is liver damage or disease, which can affect how warfarin is metabolized and cleared from the body.However, LFTs do not directly measure the effect of warfarin on clotting.
The normal range for PT/INR varies depending on the laboratory and the reason for taking warfarin.
Generally, the normal range for PT is 10 to 13 seconds, and the normal range for INR is 1.1 or below for healthy people.For people taking warfarin, the target INR range depends on their condition and risk factors, but it is usually between 2.0 and 3.0.
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