Question

A nurse is reviewing the medical records of a client who is taking WARFARIN for chronic arterial fibrillation. Which of the following values should the nurse identify as a desired outcome for this therapy?

a. PTT of 40 seconds.

b. INR of 2.5.

c. Platelet count of 200,000/mm3.

d. Serum potassium level of 3.5 mEq/L.

Answer 1

The desired outcome for warfarin therapy in a patient with chronic arterial fibrillation is an INR of 2.5, as this indicates the medication is effectively preventing blood clots without excessive risk of bleeding.

Step-by-step explanation:

The desired outcome for a client taking w is an INR of 2.5. Warfarin is an anticoagulant medication used to prevent blood clots, which can lead to complications such as strokes in patients with conditions like chronic arterial fibrillation. The INR value is a standardized number that reflects how long it takes blood to clot; for patients on warfarin, a therapeutic INR typically ranges from 2 to 3 for basic blood clot prevention. An INR of 2.5 is within this therapeutic range and indicates that the warfarin dosage is effectively thinning the blood to prevent clots without posing a significant risk of bleeding.

Platelet count and serum potassium levels are not directly affected by warfarin therapy and are less relevant to monitoring its anticoagulation effect, and a PTT (partial thromboplastin time) of 40 seconds does not directly correlate with warfarin use.