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Author Question: What is the purpose of the warfarin (Coumadin) in K.N.'s case? Why is it ... (Read 39 times)

Zoey63294

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What is the purpose of the warfarin (Coumadin) in K.N.'s case?
 
  Why is it prescribed?

Question 2

You are the nurse working in an anticoagulation clinic. One of your patients is K.N., who has a long-standing history of an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation or A-fib, for which he takes the oral anticoagulant warfarin (Coumadin).
 
  Recently K.N. had his mitral heart valve replaced with a mechanical valve.
 
  How does atrial fibrillation differ from a normal heart rhythm?



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abro1885

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Answer to Question 1

The purpose of the warfarin is twofold. It is given to prevent thrombus formation. K.N. has a
mechanical heart valve, which puts him at a higher risk for thrombus formation. In addition, during
atrial fibrillation, blood pooling in the quivering atria might also lead to thrombus formation, which
might lead to embolic events, such as pulmonary embolus or cerebrovascular accident (CVA).

Answer to Question 2

When the heart is beating with a normal rhythm, the atria contract together, pumping blood into the
ventricles, then the ventricles contract, pumping blood into the pulmonary arteries and aorta. With
atrial fibrillation, the atria beat in a disorganized manner, at a rate of 350 to 600 times per minute
as if they are quivering. The result is no atrial contractions with an irregular ventricular response;
in fact, the ventricles often beat with a rapid rate in response to the increased number of atrial
impulses. The rapid yet irregular ventricular rate decreases ventricular filling and reduces cardiac
output.




Zoey63294

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Reply 2 on: Jun 25, 2018
Gracias!


milbourne11

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Reply 3 on: Yesterday
Wow, this really help

 

Did you know?

Warfarin was developed as a consequence of the study of a strange bleeding disorder that suddenly occurred in cattle on the northern prairies of the United States in the early 1900s.

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Many of the drugs used by neuroscientists are derived from toxic plants and venomous animals (such as snakes, spiders, snails, and puffer fish).

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When blood is deoxygenated and flowing back to the heart through the veins, it is dark reddish-blue in color. Blood in the arteries that is oxygenated and flowing out to the body is bright red. Whereas arterial blood comes out in spurts, venous blood flows.

Did you know?

There can actually be a 25-hour time difference between certain locations in the world. The International Date Line passes between the islands of Samoa and American Samoa. It is not a straight line, but "zig-zags" around various island chains. Therefore, Samoa and nearby islands have one date, while American Samoa and nearby islands are one day behind. Daylight saving time is used in some islands, but not in others—further shifting the hours out of sync with natural time.

Did you know?

There are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in every adult human.

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