NP 235 STUDY GUIDE 2026 EXAM QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Secondary hemostasis - ✔✔proteins (coagulation factors) act in a series of chemical
reactions to strengthen the plug and allow healing to begin.
✔✔Prothrombin Time (PT) - ✔✔PT measures how quickly blood clots.
Prothrombin is a protein produced by the liver. It is one of many factors in the blood that
help it to clot appropriately.
✔✔The doctor might recommend a prothrombin time test to: - ✔✔Monitor the
effectiveness of a blood-thinning medication
Diagnose liver problems
Assess the blood's ability to clot before the patients have surgery
The PTT is one of several tests used to screen people waiting for liver transplants.
✔✔PTT time range - ✔✔The average time range for blood to clot is about 10 to 14
seconds
✔✔Blood Clotting too slowly - ✔✔Blood that clots too slowly can be caused by:
Blood-thinning medications
Liver problems
Inadequate levels of proteins that cause blood to clot
Vitamin K deficiency
✔✔Blood Clotting too fast - ✔✔Blood that clots too quickly can be caused by:
Supplements that contain vitamin K
High intake of foods that contain vitamin K, such as liver, broccoli, chickpeas, green tea,
kale, turnip greens and products that contain soybeans
Estrogen-containing medications, such as birth control pills and hormone replacement
therapy
✔✔Activated Partial Prothrombin Time (aPTT) - ✔✔blood test that measures the time it
takes the blood to clot.
A PTT test can be used to check for bleeding problems.
✔✔International Normalized Ratio (INR) - ✔✔In healthy people, an INR of 1.1 or below
is considered normal.
An INR range of 2.0 to 3.0 is generally an effective therapeutic range for people taking
warfarin for disorders such as atrial fibrillation or a blood clot in the leg or lung.
✔✔Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) - ✔✔a rare, life-threatening condition
, this is a serious condition that can lead to death. If the patient has bleeding that won't
stop, call the physician and be prepared to initiate medical treatment or transfer to a
higher level of care.
✔✔What are the symptoms of DIC? - ✔✔Bleeding, sometimes from multiple locations
on the body, is one of the more common symptoms.
Bleeding from the mucosal tissue (in the mouth and nose) and other external areas
may occur.
blood clots
decreased blood pressure
easy bruising
rectal or vaginal bleeding
red dots on the surface of the skin (petechiae)
✔✔causes of DIC - ✔✔Infection, severe trauma (such as brain injuries or crushing
injuries), inflammation, surgery, and cancer are all known to contribute to this condition.
extremely low body temperature (hypothermia)
venomous snake bites
pancreatitis
burns
complications during pregnancy
✔✔Total Cholesterol - ✔✔Blood cholesterol is a measure of the cholesterol components
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and
VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which is the triglyceride-carrying component of
lipids)
✔✔Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Bad - ✔✔can build up on the walls of the arteries and
increase the chances of getting heart disease.
✔✔LDL cholesterol numbers: - ✔✔Optimal if it is less than 100.
Near optimal/above optimal if it is 100-129.
Borderline high if it is 130-159.
High if it is 160-189.
Very high if it is 190 or above.
✔✔High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Good - ✔✔protects against heart disease by taking
the bad cholesterol out of the blood and keeping it from building up in the arteries
✔✔HDL cholesterol numbers - ✔✔Low (and considered a risk factor) if it is less than 40.
Good (and able to help lower the risk of heart disease) if it is 60 or more.
SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Secondary hemostasis - ✔✔proteins (coagulation factors) act in a series of chemical
reactions to strengthen the plug and allow healing to begin.
✔✔Prothrombin Time (PT) - ✔✔PT measures how quickly blood clots.
Prothrombin is a protein produced by the liver. It is one of many factors in the blood that
help it to clot appropriately.
✔✔The doctor might recommend a prothrombin time test to: - ✔✔Monitor the
effectiveness of a blood-thinning medication
Diagnose liver problems
Assess the blood's ability to clot before the patients have surgery
The PTT is one of several tests used to screen people waiting for liver transplants.
✔✔PTT time range - ✔✔The average time range for blood to clot is about 10 to 14
seconds
✔✔Blood Clotting too slowly - ✔✔Blood that clots too slowly can be caused by:
Blood-thinning medications
Liver problems
Inadequate levels of proteins that cause blood to clot
Vitamin K deficiency
✔✔Blood Clotting too fast - ✔✔Blood that clots too quickly can be caused by:
Supplements that contain vitamin K
High intake of foods that contain vitamin K, such as liver, broccoli, chickpeas, green tea,
kale, turnip greens and products that contain soybeans
Estrogen-containing medications, such as birth control pills and hormone replacement
therapy
✔✔Activated Partial Prothrombin Time (aPTT) - ✔✔blood test that measures the time it
takes the blood to clot.
A PTT test can be used to check for bleeding problems.
✔✔International Normalized Ratio (INR) - ✔✔In healthy people, an INR of 1.1 or below
is considered normal.
An INR range of 2.0 to 3.0 is generally an effective therapeutic range for people taking
warfarin for disorders such as atrial fibrillation or a blood clot in the leg or lung.
✔✔Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) - ✔✔a rare, life-threatening condition
, this is a serious condition that can lead to death. If the patient has bleeding that won't
stop, call the physician and be prepared to initiate medical treatment or transfer to a
higher level of care.
✔✔What are the symptoms of DIC? - ✔✔Bleeding, sometimes from multiple locations
on the body, is one of the more common symptoms.
Bleeding from the mucosal tissue (in the mouth and nose) and other external areas
may occur.
blood clots
decreased blood pressure
easy bruising
rectal or vaginal bleeding
red dots on the surface of the skin (petechiae)
✔✔causes of DIC - ✔✔Infection, severe trauma (such as brain injuries or crushing
injuries), inflammation, surgery, and cancer are all known to contribute to this condition.
extremely low body temperature (hypothermia)
venomous snake bites
pancreatitis
burns
complications during pregnancy
✔✔Total Cholesterol - ✔✔Blood cholesterol is a measure of the cholesterol components
LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, and
VLDL (very low-density lipoprotein, which is the triglyceride-carrying component of
lipids)
✔✔Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Bad - ✔✔can build up on the walls of the arteries and
increase the chances of getting heart disease.
✔✔LDL cholesterol numbers: - ✔✔Optimal if it is less than 100.
Near optimal/above optimal if it is 100-129.
Borderline high if it is 130-159.
High if it is 160-189.
Very high if it is 190 or above.
✔✔High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Good - ✔✔protects against heart disease by taking
the bad cholesterol out of the blood and keeping it from building up in the arteries
✔✔HDL cholesterol numbers - ✔✔Low (and considered a risk factor) if it is less than 40.
Good (and able to help lower the risk of heart disease) if it is 60 or more.
