Hey guys, Nurse Mike here and welcome to SimpleNursing.com. Before we get today's lecture started, please remember, click here to check out our brand new app-based NCLEX product, loaded with the highest quality NCLEX style practice questions and complete with detailed video rationales that break down the question for you. So finally master all those darn select all that apply questions.
Plus all our NCLEX memberships come included with our entire library of over a thousand thousand videos and study guides and cheat sheets. Come see why over a hundred thousand students have trusted their future to simplenursing.com. Click here to get started for free. Now for blood thinners, generally they come in three sizes, small, medium, and large.
So by comparison, think of anti-platelets like aspirin and Coplitagrel, like Watergun. These are the small guys. And anticoagulants like heparin and warfarin, like a bazooka, the semi-big guns, those are the medium. And then thrombolytics, the clot busters, like TPA and altapace.
Guys, these are the atomic bombs, the most deadly since they have the highest bleed risk. So first up, let's cover antiplatelets like clopidogrel and aspirin, aka salicylate. Now guys, let the name help you here.
Antiplatelets are just that. They're anti-platelet. They lower platelet aggregation. So we have a less chance of them sticking together and clogging the arteries. So just think AC for aspirin and clopidogrel, brand name Plavix, like AC for anti-clogging of the arteries, preventing platelets from forming clots.
Now the indication is mainly for clot prophylaxis, basically meaning clot prevention. So guys, in heart and brain clot, like an MI or CVA prevention, Narrowed arteries like ACS in the heart, or a TIA in the brain, or even PAD in the extremities. Or even prevention after a stent or bypass, preventing the reocclusion of that artery there.
Now the HESI key term, we use post-PCI, that percutaneous coronary intervention. Fancy words for cath lab to clear the clot. Again guys, AC is aspirin and clopidogrel.
AC for... anti-clot. Now the mechanism of action, guys, it's very simple.
They prevent the platelets from aggregating together or clumping up, sort of like spreading them out like a bunch of plates. Now the key points before giving, we always assess. So the key numbers here is hemoglobin levels.
So anything less than seven, just think you might be sending your patient to heaven. Huge bleed risk there. And also platelets, normally between 150 to...
Guys, this is known as thrombocytopenia, basically meaning a huge risk for bleeding. So common questions on exams, they'll give you a scenario of a platelet count about 75,000 or less than 40, guys. What's the priority nursing?
action. Always the priority is to hold the drug and question the prescription and then notify the HCP. And guys, don't let the NCLEX trick you. Aspirin and capitagrel think platelets, not INR, not PTT.
That's for anticoagulants in our next section. Now Hesse had an exit question about aspirin. They were asking about contraindication for patients with hypoprothrombinemia. That's just fancy words for low clotting factors.
So we just hold the aspirin. Now as far as aspirin toxicity, this is a big focus on safety. So HESI and ATI exit exams had a few questions on this. So activated charcoal was the number one drug for aspirin toxicity.
Now the key term here is initial treatment of salicylate or aspirin toxicity. It binds with aspirin to block the absorption by the small intestine. And the key signs of Aspirin toxicity is number one, tinnitus, the ringing of the ears, and also hyperventilation.
So guys, we notify the HCP immediately. Now, Kaplan mentioned this as a priority finding. Given a scenario about a patient on aspirin who is hyperventilating, indicating it could be a salicylate poisoning or aspirin poisoning.
An ATI question about long-term aspirin administration. Priority assessment. is assessed for tinnitus. And a very last side note here, tachycardia and hypotension are not signs of toxicity.
This could actually indicate a bleed. So just be careful. Now for glycoprotein or GP receptor inhibitors, we have L-cyxamab, also an antiplatelet given for prevention of platelet aggregation.
But guys, here's the big difference. It's mainly used after cardiac procedures like a heart cath or coronary stent placement, where we wanna prevent vessel reocclusion. Now adverse effects, guys, just like aspirin, but way more severe. So we still have thrombocytopenia and bleeding.
Now the big nursing care, common exam questions, ask actions the nurse should implement. So key terms to write down here. Number one is assessment of hemoglobin and platelets. Again, hemoglobin below seven sends your patient to heaven. And platelets below 150 is very iffy.
But anything less than 50, guys, is very risky. Always question any prescription or order for any blood thinner with platelets that low. And guys, we assess for bleeding here.
Thanks for watching. For our full video and new quiz bank, click right up here to access your free trial. And please consider subscribing to our YouTube channel. Last but not least, a big thanks to our team of experts helping us make these great videos.
All right, guys. See you next time.