Anticoagulants, Antiplatelets & Thrombolytics Flashcards
Haemostasis
to stop bleeding in haemorrhage
Involves: local vasoconstriction, platelet aggregation and coagulation
Thrombosis
pathological, coagulation in the absence of bleeding
Involves: Virchow’s triad
Virchow’s triad
increase coagulation, vessel damage and abnormal blood flow
Arterial thrombus
white, platelet aggregation, embolus tends to cause stroke
Venous thrombus
red, white head, red-jelly tail, fibrin rich, embolus tends to lodge in lung: PE
Platelets in coagulation cascade
endothelial damage –> platelet aggregation–> mediator (pre-existing (ADP) and newly formed (TXA2)) release, further platelet aggregation
Fibrin in coagulation cascade
endothelial damage –> clotting factor release –> X activated (Xa) –> prothrombin –> thrombin (converts fibrinogen to fibrin (forms a fibrin mesh)
Fibrin clot formation
Platelet aggregation + blood coagulation
Thrombin
fibrinogen to fibrin
Platelet function
brings clotting factors closer together for activation
Activation of clotting factors
gamma-carboxylation
gamma carboxylation enzyme
carboxylase
Essential requirement of carboxylase?
vitamin K - therefore is required for coagulation
Warfarin target?
blocks vitamin K reductase - stopping vitamin K from binding to it (preventing gamma carboxylation and coagulation)
Anticoagulant function?
prevention/ treatment of venous thrombosis/ embolism
Caution with anticoagulants?
risk of haemorrhage
Which clotting factors does warfarin block?
II, VII, IX & X
How is warfarin standardly taken?
orally
Fast or slow action?
slow (2-3 days)
Half life?
long (40 hrs)
Warfarin warnings?
difficulty of balancing anticoagulance with haemorrhage risk - low therapeutic index
Factors that increase haemorrhage risk when on warfarin?
liver disease (less clotting factors) fast metabolism (fast clotting factor clearance) drug interaction: agents that inhibit hepatic metabolism of warfarin drugs that inhibit platelet function (aspirin and NSAIDS) drugs that inhibit reduction or availability of vitamin K
Factors that inhibit warfarin action (increase thrombosis risk)?
physiological state: pregnancy (higher clotting factor synthesis), hypothyroidism (less degradation of clotting factors), vitamin K consumption, drugs that increase the metabolism of warfarin
warfarin overdose treatment?
vitamin K or concentrate of clotting factors
Antithrombin III main function?
important inhibitor of coagulation
Action of antithrombin III?
neutralises serine protease factors (II, VII, IX, X) in coagulation cascade
Heparin mechanism?
binds to antithrombin III, increasing its affinity for serine protease factors, increasing the rate of clotting factor inactivation
What does heparin need to bind to to inhibit IIa (thrombin)?
Antithrombin III and IIa
What does heparin need to bind to to inhibit Xa
Antithrombin III