The nurse determines that a patient is experiencing the therapeutic effect of a continuous heparin drip if which of the following is noted?
a. The patient's INR is 3.
b. The patient's PT is 12 seconds.
c. The patient's PTT is 65 seconds.
d. The patient's platelets are 90,000/mm3.
C
The partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is used to evaluate the effectiveness of continuous heparin therapy. At therapeutic levels, heparin increases the PTT by a factor of 1.5 to 2, for a PTT of 60 to 80 seconds.
The INR, which is a ratio of the patient's PT to the control PT, is used to determine the therapeu-tic effect of warfarin (Coumadin).
A PT of 12 seconds is considered normal. The PT is used to determine the therapeutic effect of warfarin.
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is an immune-mediated disorder characterized by declining platelet counts. If the platelet count falls below 100,000/mm3, heparin should be discontinued.
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