14. Anti-Platelets and Anticoagulants Flashcards
What is the difference between white clots and red clots?
White clots are rich in platelets, red clots are rich in clotting factors.
What are the three components of Virchow’s triad?
Hypercoagulability, endothelial damage, and stasis.
What can cause hypercoagulability?
Genetics - protein C/S deficient, factor V leiden. Acquired - SLE, OCP, smoking, malignancy.
What can cause endothelial damage?
Atheroma in MI/CVA, hypertension, toxins - cigarettes/homocysteine.
What can cause stasis?
Immobility - ill health, post-op, economy class; cardiac abnormality - AF, CCF, mitral valve disease, post MI.
Name an anticoagulant.
Warfarin.
What is the mechanism of action of Warfarin?
Inhibits production of vitamin K dependent clotting factors so less II, VII, IX, and X (extrinsic pathway). This is by competitive inhibition.
What is the onset time for Warfarin to have an effect?
Days - slow half life of clotting factors.
Why can warfarin be given orally?
Good GI absorption.
Why is heparin needed alongside warfarin initially?
Because warfarin has a slow onset of action.
Why must warfarin be stopped 3 days before surgery?
It has a slow offset due to long half life, stopping early allow time to synthesise new clotting factors.
How is warfarin metabolised?
Hepatic metabolism using cytochrome p450 system.
Why must warfarin be avoided during pregnancy?
T1 - teratogenic, T3 - brain haemorrhage.
How can warfarin be monitored?
Extrinsic pathway factors, prothrombin time, INR (international normalised ratio).
What is the prothrombin time?
Citrated plasma clotting time after adding calcium and thromboplastins.
What is the purpose of having an international normalised ratio (INR)?
Allows a standard value corrected for different lab thromboplastin reagents.
What are the drug interactions to be wary of with warfarin?
Effects on anticoagulation - most increase anticoagulant effect, some do decrease it.
Name a drug that inhibits hepatic metabolism and the effect it has on warfarin.
Amiodarone, quinolone, metronidazole, cimetidine, alcohol. All potentiate warfarin.
Name a drug that inhibits platelet function and the effect it has on warfarin.
Aspirin, potentiates effect.
Name a drug that reduces vitamin K from gut bacteria and the effect it has on warfarin.
Cephalosporin antibiotics, potentiates effect.