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A digestive disorder that impairs a person's ability to absorb vitamin K will result in

a. low levels of Factor X.
b. low levels of thromboplastin.
c. prolonged bleeding.
d. low levels of prothrombin.
e. All of the answers are correct.

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

A digestive disorder impairing the absorption of vitamin K leads to prolonged bleeding due to lower production of clotting factors such as prothrombin, Factor X, and thromboplastin, which are necessary for proper blood coagulation.

Step-by-step explanation:

A digestive disorder that impairs a person's ability to absorb vitamin K results in prolonged bleeding. This is because vitamin K is essential for the synthesis of certain clotting factors, including prothrombin, which is a precursor to thrombin. Thrombin is an enzyme that converts fibrinogen into fibrin, the insoluble protein that is essential for blood clot formation.

Vitamin K also stimulates the biosynthesis of other clotting factors within the liver cells. When there is a deficiency of vitamin K, there is a decrease in the production of functional clotting factors such as prothrombin, leading to inadequate blood clotting and, hence, prolonged bleeding. As the liver requires vitamin K to produce many of the clotting factors, an inability to absorb this vitamin due to a digestive disorder directly impacts coagulation.

The direct effects of such a deficiency include low levels of prothrombin and Factor X, low levels of thromboplastin, and as a result, a risk of prolonged bleeding. Therefore, the answer is that all the mentioned conditions can be correct in the case of a vitamin K absorption impairment.

User Satyawan Hajare
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