Question

A patient with deep vein thrombosis is receiving an intravenous (IV) heparin infusion. He asks the nurse how this medication will help him. The nurse's response is accurately based on which concept?

Select one:
a. Heparin prevents the activation of vitamin K and thus blocks synthesis of some clotting factors.
b. Heparin suppresses coagulation by helping antithrombin perform its natural functions.
c. Heparin works by converting plasminogen to plasmin, which in turn dissolves the clot matrix.
d. Heparin inhibits the enzyme responsible for platelet activation and aggregation within vessels.

Answer 1

Heparin aids in suppressing coagulation by enhancing the function of antithrombin, which inhibits blood clots, benefiting patients with deep vein thrombosis.

Step-by-step explanation:

A patient with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) will benefit from an intravenous (IV) heparin infusion due to heparin's anticoagulant properties. Specifically, heparin assists antithrombin, which is a naturally occurring anticoagulant in the body that inactivates factor X and stops the conversion of prothrombin (factor II) into thrombin in the common pathway. Therefore, the nurse's response to the question of how heparin will help the patient is that it suppresses coagulation by enhancing the function of antithrombin, thus helping prevent new clots from forming and stopping existing clots from getting larger.