Anticoagulants, Antithrombotics and Thrombolytics Flashcards
what are some in vitro anticoagulants?
heparin
polyanionic
what is heparin?
sulphated glycosaminoglycans (mucopolysaccharides) of variable chain length (unfractionated; 5,000-40,000 Daltons)
what is pilyanionic?
Calcium chelators, e.g. citrate and ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA)
what are some in vivo anticoagulants?
- Heparin or low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) - more consistent effects
- given as an injection and for atrial fibrillation - Oral anticoagulants- vitamin K antagonists and newer agents (thrombin inhibitors and factor Xa inhibitors)
what is the mechanism of action of heparin?
- Heparin binds to and enhances the action of the endogenous anticoagulant, antithrombin III
- The heparin-antithrombin III complex binds to and inhibits the action of clotting factors IIa, IXa, Xa, XIa, XIIa
- Immediate inhibition of clotting - unlike warfarin
what does LMWH target/inhibit?
low MW heparins inhibit factor 10a predominantly
what is the difference between heparin and LMWH?
-any heparin chain can inhibit the action of factor Xa by binding to antithrombin (AT)
-but, in order to inactivate thrombin (IIa), the heparin molecule must be long enough to bind both antithrombin and thrombin
-half the chains of LMWH are long enough
what are the disadvantages of LMWH?
-requires dosage adjustment in renal insufficiency. renal function monitoring is required
-cannot be used in patients with HIT once it develops
-longer half-life may prolong risk of bleeding
-only partially (60%) reversed with protamine
-expensive
-bruising at injection site, patient education is required
describe the advantages of LMWH?
-high bioavailability of subcutaneous route
-lower incidence of HIT
-no need to monitor PTT
-ideal agent during pregnancy (SC route)
what is the process of administration of heparin and LMWH?
- Not orally active (absorption prevented by high MW and charge) - wont be absorbed in the gut.
- Given intravenously or sub-cutaneously
- Does not cross placenta or blood-brain barrier
what can heparin and LMWH be used for?
- Deep venous thrombosis (DVT)
- Can be used safely in pre-eclampsia of pregnancy (foetus unaffected)
- in vitro anticoagulant
what are the side effects of heparin?
- Allergic reactions
- Haemorrhage
- Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopaenia (HIT)
how would you reverse these side effects?
- Heparin antagonist: protamine
- (a polycationic protein- binds and inactivates heparin) (cationic would target the anionic negatively charged part of heparin)
- This is less effective against LMWH
as heparin is administered through injections, what is an example of an oral anticoagulant?
- e.g. warfarin
- Structural analogue of vitamin K (as seen below)
- Blocks synthesis of coagulation factors (in the liver)
what is the mechanism of action of warfarin?
- Reduced vit. K is essential for post-ribosomal g-carboxylation of glutamic acid residues at N-terminals of factors II, VII, IX and X
- Warfarin blocks vit. K reductase, so blocking carboxylation
- no g-carboxyglutamate residues
- so no Ca2+ binding
- so no coagulation