ATI Hematologic System Related

Review ATI Hematologic System related questions and content

You receive a phone call that a 3-year-old patient on long-term warfarin therapy for congenital heart disease has an international normalized ratio (INR) of 5.8. On further history, you learn the patient and several family members have had recent gastrointestinal illnesses, but the patient is recovering. His mother reports he is not experiencing bleeding symptoms. Which of the following interventions would be most reasonable in this clinical scenario?

  • A. Hold 1 to 2 doses of warfarin and recheck INR
  • B. Administer oral vitamin K therapy
  • C. Administer fresh frozen plasma (FFP)
  • D. Administer recombinant factor VIIa
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Hold 1 to 2 doses of warfarin and recheck INR. In this scenario, the patient's elevated INR of 5.8 indicates an increased risk of bleeding due to excessive anticoagulation. Since the patient is not experiencing bleeding symptoms and is recovering from gastrointestinal illness, temporarily holding 1 to 2 doses of warfarin is the most reasonable intervention to prevent bleeding complications while allowing the INR to normalize. Rechecking the INR after holding the doses will help assess the patient's response to the intervention. Choices B, C, and D are incorrect because administering oral vitamin K therapy, FFP, or recombinant factor VIIa are more aggressive interventions that are not warranted in this case where the patient is asymptomatic and recovering from a transient illness.