Hemostasis - Answers The process that prevents and stops bleeding, involving the formation of
a platelet plug.
Platelet Plug Formation - Answers Occurs when blood vessel damage exposes collagen,
activating platelets to change shape, release ADP and TXA2, and aggregate to stop bleeding.
Coagulation: Extrinsic Pathway - Answers Activated by tissue factor outside the blood, leading
to the activation of factor VII, which activates factor X and catalyzes prothrombin into thrombin.
Thrombin - Answers An enzyme that catalyzes fibrinogen into fibrin, activates factor V into Va,
and converts factor VIII into its active form VIIIa.
Coagulation: Intrinsic Pathway - Answers Activated by factors within the blood, starting with
factor XII exposed to collagen, leading to the activation of factor X.
Thrombosis - Answers The formation of a blood clot within a blood vessel.
Anticoagulants - Answers Drugs that disrupt the coagulation cascade and suppress fibrin
production, primarily used for venous thrombosis.
Antiplatelets - Answers Medications that prevent platelet aggregation, primarily used for arterial
thrombosis.
Thrombolytics - Answers Drugs that break up fibrin and dissolve thrombi.
Unfractionated Heparin - Answers A long polysaccharide chain drug that binds to antithrombin
to inactivate thrombin and factor Xa, preventing venous thrombosis.
Low Molecular Weight Heparins (LMWHs) - Answers Heparins with smaller molecular
composition that preferentially inactivate factor Xa and do not require lab monitoring.
Warfarin - Answers A vitamin K antagonist used for long-term prophylaxis of thrombosis,
requiring INR monitoring.
Vitamin K for Warfarin Overdose - Answers Administered IV or PO to antagonize warfarin
effects; large PO doses have a prolonged effect.
Dabigatran - Answers A direct thrombin inhibitor that prevents fibrinogen from becoming fibrin
and is used for conditions like atrial fibrillation.
Factor Xa Inhibitors (Rivaroxaban) - Answers Selective inhibitors of factor Xa that prevent
thrombin production, with rapid onset and no INR monitoring needed.
Adverse Effects of Rivaroxaban - Answers Includes bleeding, spinal/epidural hematoma, and
has no antidote.