Management of Postpartum Patients with DVT and PE
Management of Postpartum Patients with DVT and PE ( 5 Questions)
A nurse is administering heparin IV to a postpartum client who has a pulmonary embolism (PE).
Which of the following assessments should the nurse monitor to evaluate the effectiveness of the therapy?
Haemoglobin and hematocrit levels are not affected by heparin therapy.
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is a test that measures how long it takes for the blood to clot.
Heparin is a drug that prevents blood clots by inhibiting certain clotting factors. The effectiveness of heparin therapy is monitored by measuring the aPTT, which should be 1.5 to 2.5 times the normal value.
The international normalized ratio (INR) is a test that measures how long it takes for the blood to clot when taking another anticoagulant drug called warfarin.
Platelet count is not affected by heparin therapy.
Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is a test that measures how long it takes for the blood to clot.
Heparin is a drug that prevents blood clots by inhibiting certain clotting factors. The effectiveness of heparin therapy is monitored by measuring the aPTT, which should be 1.5 to 2.5 times the normal value.
If the aPTT is too low, it means that heparin is not working well and the risk of clotting is high.
If the aPTT is too high, it means that heparin is working too well and the risk of bleeding is high.
Choice A is wrong because haemoglobin and hematocrit levels are not affected by heparin therapy.
They measure the amount and concentration of red blood cells in the blood, which are not involved in clotting.
Choice C is wrong because the international normalized ratio (INR) is a test that measures how long it takes for the blood to clot when taking another anticoagulant drug called warfarin.
Warfarin works by inhibiting the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors. The effectiveness of warfarin therapy is monitored by measuring the INR, which should be 2 to 3 for most conditions.
Heparin does not affect the INR.
Choice D is wrong because platelet count is not affected by heparin therapy.
Platelets are small cell fragments that help form clots by sticking together and activating clotting factors.
Heparin does not affect the number of platelets in the blood, but it reduces their ability to aggregate and activate clotting factors.