Drugs!! Blood thinners! Flashcards
Function of anticoagulants?
Inhibit the coagulation cascade
What anticoagulants are we concerned with?
Coumadin/Warfarin
Heparin
Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
Direct Xa inhibitors
Mechanism of Coumadin/Warfarin
Keeps Vitamin K in storage form
Stops Vitamin K dependent factors (II, VII, IX, and X)
Mechanism of Heparin
Increase inhibitory effect of AT (antithrombin) which creates an irreversible complex with IIa, IXa, Xa, XIa, XIIa, and plasmin
Mechanism of Direct Thrombin Inhibitors
Neutralizes thrombin by binding to the active site and extending fibrin bound thrombin
Mechanism of Direct Xa inhibitors
Inhibits Factor Xa (no AT requires)
Function of Anti-Platelets
Prevents platelet aggregation
What drug that we are concerned with is an anti-platelet?
Aspirin
Mechanism of Aspirin
Inhibits cyclooxygenase to reduce TXA2 production (which stimulates activation of new platelets and increases aggregation)
Mechanism of thrombolytics (Fibrin specific or fibrin non-specific)
Dissolves the clot