9-2 Anticoagulant, Antithrombotic,& Thrombolytic Agents Flashcards
Low Molecular Weight Heparins (LMWH) include:
Enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Dalteparin (Fragmin)
Tinzaparin (Innohep)
What are some Factor Xa inhibitors?
Fondaparinux (Arixtra)
Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
Apixaban (Eliquis)
What factor is eventually made by both extrinsic and intrinsic clotting pathways?
active proteolytic enzyme:
Xa
What does Xa do in the final common pathway?
combines with other factors (V, Ca++, and phospholipids)
converts an inactive proenzyme, prothrombin, into its active enzyme product, thrombin
What does thrombin do in the clotting cascade?
Thrombin clips fragments from the protein fibrinogen releasing fibrin monomers
What does fibrin do in the clotting cascade?
fibrin monomers
- polymerize into a meshwork that stabilizes the initial platelet plug
Fibrin monomers have formed an initial plug for a leak. What stabilizes this?
Factor XIII, activated by thrombin to XIIIa,
covalently cross‑links adjacent fibrin monomers to form an insoluble fibrin clot
What is a direct thrombin inhibitor?
dabigatran
rivaroxaban,
apixaban,
edoxapan
- all oral
What is an inhibitor of Factor Xa?
Rivoroxaban
Apixaban
What are the therapeutic objectives in thromboembolic disease?
To prevent formation of pathological thrombi in patients at risk.
To prevent clot extension and/or embolization in patients who have developed thrombosis.
To rapidly dissolve thrombi causing life-threatening or severe ischemia.
What anticoagulant drugs do?
slow clotting time and suppress coagulation
What works for rapid parenteral (IV, SQ) anticoagulation?
Heparin,
Low Molecular Weight Heparin, and
Fondaparinux
What works well for slow, prolonged, oral anticoagulation?
warfarin
What can be given via IV during PCI and for treatment of HIT syndrome ?
PCI = percutaneous coronary intervention = angioplasty
lepirudin,
bivalirudin,
argatroban
What do antiplatelet drugs do?
inhibit platelet adhesion and aggregation
What are some antiplatelet drugs?
aspirin
clopidogrel and prasugrel
cilostazol
abciximab, eptifibatide, tirofiban
How does aspirin work, pharmacologically?
inhibit TXA2 formation
How do Clopidogrel and Prasugrel work, pharmacologically?
– inhibit platelet ADP receptor and platelet aggregation
How does cilostazol work, pharmacologically?
Cilostazol –
cAMP PDE inhibitor, blocks platelet aggregation and stimulates vasodilation
What are the pharmacological effects of abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban?
– blockers of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa complex used exclusively during PCI procedures.
When are thrombolytics used?
Fibrinolytic (Thrombolytic) Drugs used under emergency situations to dissolve formed fibrin clots
What are some examples of some thrombolytics?
t-PA = tissue plasminogen activator
Alteplase (t-PA), reteplase, tenecteplase, streptokinase
What is the structure of heparin?
made up of complex linear polysaccharide (glycosaminoglycan) chains
What is the mechanism for heparin?
Inhibition of thrombin and factor Xa are most important in the anticoagulant effect
Heparin increases the rate of the thrombin‑antithrombin reaction by serving as a catalytic template to which both the antithrombin and thrombin (or other protease) bind
- antithrombin III is endogenous, and rapidly inhibits thrombin but only in presence of heparin or naturally occuring heparin-like molecules
Heparin inhibits activated coagulation factors of the intrinsic and common pathways, including thrombin, Xa, IXa, XIa, XIIa, and kallikrein
What is the effect of heparin on plasma clotting times?
Heparin prolongs:
aPTT and the thrombin time;
the PT is less effected by UFH,
- but at high plasma concentrations will also prolong the PT
How is heparin administered? What route of administration is contraindicated and why?
it can only be administered intravenously or subcutaneously
- Because heparin is a large molecule and is destroyed in the GI tract
Intramuscular injection is contraindicated because of the likelihood of hematoma formation.
How is heparin’s onset of action started?
onset of action is dictated primarily by its rate of appearance in the plasma
- heparin’s anticoagulant effects occur through a simple binding reaction with antithrombin III and clotting factors
Considering heparin’s onset of action, how would you administer the drug for rapid therapy versus a prophylactic therapy?
when rapid anticoagulation is required:
therapy is initiated with a bolus IV injection followed by a continuous IV infusion
slower onset is sufficient, i.e., prophylaxis prior to surgery:
subcutaneous injection of heparin or LMWH is typically used
How is heparin titrated for adults in continuous intravenous infusion?
a bolus dose is injected into the tubing after the infusion is started
continuous infusion rate is maintained (infusion pump)
- rate is subsequently adjusted according to the results of the aPTT performed 4 hours later
What are the advantages and disadvantages of continuous IV infusion of heparin?
Advantages:
immediate onset of anticoagulant effect, stable blood concentrations.
Disadvantages:
infusion pump required for long‑term therapy, may cause hypervolemia, patient discomfort, pump must be carefully monitored.
How is intermittent IV dosing done for heparin?
(not recommended)
Adults: 5,000 units initially, followed by 5,000 to 10,000 units every four to six hours.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of intermittent IV dosing done for heparin?
Advantages:
avoids fluid infusion.
Disadvantages:
greater variation in blood concentrations and requires frequent laboratory tests to regulate the dose
How are minidoses of heparin administered?
Subcutaneous low dose prophylaxis (“minidose”)
5,000 units two hours before surgery and every 8 or 12 hours thereafter until the patient is discharged or is fully ambulatory
For full‑dose effects give 10,000 - 12,000 units every eight hours or 15,000 - 17,500 units every 12 hours
The drug should be injected in the smallest volume possible at different sites around the iliac crest, over the lower abdomen, or thigh. A small needle should be used to prevent massive hematoma.
(Note that different protocols may be necessary in varying clinical situations. The trend is now shifting to the use of LMWH SQ injections (replacing UFH) for prophylaxis)
What are some extracorporeal uses of heparin?
Extracorpeal (“out of body”) Uses:
Heparin Sodium Lock Solution (Hep-LockÔ) Heparin is used to flush out IV lines, etc.
Sometimes tubes and pipettes used in blood work are “heparinized” to prevent coagulation. These solutions are not for therapeutic use.
What is used to monitor heparin therapy?
Monitoring Therapy:
aPTT = 1.5 to 2.5 times control.
How is heparin metabolized out of the body?
Termination:
up to 50% of dose is excreted unchanged in urine
‑ remainder metabolized in liver to a weakly active derivative.
Elimination half-life is dose-dependent principally because UFH binds to plasma proteins and endothelial cells in a saturable process. This binding also limits the bioavailability of UFH after subcutaneous injection.
What are some major effects from heparin toxicity?
hemorrhage
hematoma
heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT syndromes)
less common stuff - who cares
How does hemorrhage from heparin happen?
from inadvertent overdose,
bleeding from undiagnosed disease site (ulcer, carcinoma).
What is HIT syndrome?
Heparin induces transient thrombocytopenia in as many as 25% of patients but this usually resolves spontaneously.
However, in approximately 5% of patients (this is a lot of patients!) a severe thrombocytopenia can evolve days after the initiation of therapy.
This heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or HIT syndrome is due to the formation of antibodies directed against the heparin- platelet factor 4 complexes. These antigen-antibody complexes bind to Fc receptors on adjacent platelets causing aggregation, platelet activation and paradoxical thrombosis.
How is HIT syndrome with thrombosis treatred?
with direct thrombin inhibitors
What are the less commo side-effects of heparin?
Less common side effects of HFH therapy include acute hypersensitivity reactions, alopecia, platelet aggregation, osteoporosis (1 year therapy), and priapism.
What is the main contraindication for heparin?
Active bleeding!!!
- always know the potential for bleeding before administering heparin (perform blood coagulation test, look for occult bleeding).