ATI Capstone Pharmacology Assessment Related

Review ATI Capstone Pharmacology Assessment related questions and content

A patient is receiving an IV infusion of heparin and was started on warfarin therapy the night

  • A. Which statement is most correct?
  • B. The patient is receiving a double dose of anticoagulants.
  • C. The heparin therapy was ineffective, so the warfarin was starte
  • D. The heparin provides anticoagulation until therapeutic levels of warfarin are reache
Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct statement is that the heparin provides anticoagulation until therapeutic levels of warfarin are reached. Heparin and warfarin are both anticoagulants but work in different ways. Heparin acts quickly to prevent blood clot formation while warfarin takes several days to reach its full effect. Therefore, heparin is often used initially to provide immediate anticoagulation while waiting for the warfarin to reach therapeutic levels. This dual therapy is common in clinical practice to ensure continuous anticoagulation.