Heparin Adverse Event, Failure Modes, and Effects Analysis
Anticoagulants such as Warfarin, Heparin, Lovenox, and Eliquis are blood thinners that prevent a blood clot in patients at risk of developing deep vein thrombosis also known as DVT. According to Alquwaizani, Buckley, Adams, & Fanikos (2013), they are the primary therapy for preventing and treating blood coagulation for most hospitalized patients. Like other drugs, anticoagulants also have serious adverse events that nurses must know about. Nurses must be most concerned about bleeding because it could be fatal if not quickly detected and controlled. Therefore, they all should carefully assess and closely monitor patients on anticoagulant therapy in order to prevent complications and
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So, it is crucial for the nurse to measure the aPTT of patients receiving IV heparin infusion every six hours and change the dose accordingly to achieve therapeutic levels and prevent the risk of bleeding (Alquwaizani, Buckley, Adams, & Fanikos 2013). According to Alquwaizani, Buckley, Adams, & Fanikos (2013), “hemorrhage is the main concerning adverse event with all anticoagulants” (p. 83). Hence, nurses should carefully assess all patients receiving an anticoagulant therapy whether orally, IV infusion, or subcutaneous injections for signs of bleeding such as bruises, hematoma, tarry or bloody stool, and bright red blood emesis. In addition, they must strictly adhere to IV heparin administration protocol per their organization policy. Statistically, no significant cases of bleeding disorders associated with the IV administration have been reported. This is because two nurses are required to verify the dose and weight of the patient prior to and during the infusion to assure safe IV administration process. According to Alquwaizani, Buckley, Adams, & Fanikos (2013), “0-7 % of major bleeding, fatal bleeding about 0–3 %, and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT, 1–5 %) are associated the major complications of Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) therapy” (p.
Coumadin (non specific name: warfarin) is an anticoagulant, or blood diminishing drug, that is endorsed to numerous patients who are at danger for creating blood clusters that could bring about heart assaults or strokes. Warfarin is near the most astounding purpose recently and simultaneous investigations of medications that provoke ER visits and occurring an expansion in healing center based offices with the affirmation of patients. Anticoagulation treatment stances perils to patients and over and over prompts unfavorable solution events in light of complex dosing, fundamental ensuing watching, and clashing patient consistence. As a result, various patients who meet current evidence based principles for warfarin treatment are not being managed
These will mean that patients that are currently taking medications like Rivaroxaban or Apixaban will have an antidote in case of a bleeding episode.
However, 32 patients (42.1%) were using Warfarin prior to Dabigatran. The prior use of Warfarin was significantly associated with bleeding (p= 0.014), hospitalization (p< 0.001) , and death (p= 0.007). This was more prominent in older patients > 75 years, and in patients with comorbid conditions. The rate of hospitalization in the cohort for fifty one patients was (67.1%). There were no significant associations between hospitalization, and the tested variables. The levels of hemoglobin (taken as mean of 3 values) ≥130 versus 65 years. The causes of death in patients using Dabigatran were not relevant to the drug as per the death certificates (p <0.611), [Table 3]. The reported causes of death were attributed to TE, cardiac, and respiratory arrests. The only variables that were significantly associated with death were TE [p= 0.024, (95% CI for B= 0.44 - 0.586)], and blood transfusion [p= 0.011, (95% CI for B=0.085 - 0.639];
Enoxaparin is a low molecular weight heparin used to prevent thrombosis, particularly post surgery. Enoxaparin binds to antithrombin III which is responsible for inhibiting coagulation by acting on factor Xa. Enoxaparin accelerates the activity of antithrombin III therefore preventing clot formation (McKenna & Lim, 2014 p766). When a blood vessel is damaged, platelets in circulating blood stick to the site of injury and release chemicals that attract more platelets causing aggregation. There are both intrinsic and extrinsic pathways causing thrombi to form to maintain a closed cardiovascular system (Hollar, 2017). Immobility increases risk of thrombus formation as the blood becomes stagnant with gravity and decreased
Venous thromboembolism refers to the formation of a blood clot in a blood vessel. While clots can form in an artery or a vein, this article focuses only on clots that occur in a vein ("," 2015). Critically ill patients are at an increased risk of a venous thromboembolism (VTE) due to VTE can manifest as a deep venous thrombosis (DVT) or a pulmonary embolism (PE). Risk factors include venous stasis, vascular injury, and hypercoagulable disorders. A majority of ICU patients carry at least one risk factor for VTE; additional risk factors are considered to have a cumulative effect…it is impossible to predict which patients will experience a
This quantitative article was done to evaluate implementation of best practices that optimize inpatient anticoagulation and venous thromboembolism (VTE) management. The hospital study consisted of 189 patients with 211 identified VTE events. A VTE management best-practices bundle was designed and implemented using education, CPOE upgrades, clinical decision support, triggered consultation, and checklist; data was collected from CPOE and chart review. The VTE bundle helped improve the rates of warfarin compliance among patients and the warfarin-heparin overlap but it did not have a significant effect on low molecular weight heparin education, compression stocking use, laboratory testing before treatment, and clinical outcomes. Practice projects
Developing and enforcing dosing and monitoring guidelines for all anticoagulation therapy will increase awareness of drug reactions and allow for medical records verification among all hospital professional. With verification of medications and patient records will result in less drug reactions. (Franco, Maxwell, Green & Barthol, 2009) Medication reactions can been minimize even more with proper handling, patient care and medical records management.
Warfarin is a prescription medicinal drug used to save you harmful blood clots from forming or developing large. useful blood clots prevent or prevent bleeding, but dangerous blood clots can reason a stroke, coronary heart attack, deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism. because warfarin interferes with the formation of blood clots, it's far referred to as an anticoagulant. Many humans check with anticoagulants as “blood thinners”; but, warfarin does now not thin the blood but rather reasons the blood to take longer to form a clot. Warfarin decreases the body’s capability to form blood clots through blocking the formation of diet k–established clotting elements. diet okay is needed to make clotting elements and prevent bleeding. therefore,
Bleeding is one of warfarins most serious and harmful effects as major and fatal bleeding can be experienced by patients. A meta analysis of 33 studies concluded “The clinical impact of anticoagulant-related major bleeding in patients with venous thromboembolism is considerable” therefore the effects of bleeding should be taken into account by health care professionals when choosing whether to prescribe warfarin to a patient or to continue anti-coagulant therapy using warfarin in individual patients. In addition to bleeding another complication of warfarin is its narrow therapeutic index which makes it difficult to ensure patients stay within the required anticoagulation range. An analysis of 6454 patients taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation
There are two available Warfarin brands in Australia, Marevan and Coumadin; both are oral anticoagulants. Prescribed dosage is based on balance between bleeding and clotting which determined by ‘International Normalised Ratio’ or ‘INR’. INR is the time it takes for the blood to clot, and, is ideally between 2 to 3 in most people.
NSAIDs can lead to an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular thrombotic events, including MI and stroke. Platelet adhesion and aggregation may be decreased with Naproxen, prolonging bleeding time. Hematologic side effects induced by Naproxen include platelet dysfunction resulting in increased bleeding times, decreased hematocrit, eosinophilia, granulocytopenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, and agranulocytosis. Due to hematologic side effects, a complete blood count and coagulants must be monitored closely (Lexi-Comp,
Prophylaxis and treatment of various thromboembolic disorders including: VTE, and PE. Prevention of thrombus formation. Nursing considerations: Assess for signs of bleeding (bleeding gums, nosebleed, unusual bleeding) or bruising. Instruct patient in correct technique for self infection, care and disposal of equipment *JL would most likely be going home on heparin injections so this is pertinent to him*
From 1997 to 2007 anticoagulants have been identified as one of the top five drug types associated with patient safety in the United States. There is a big concern with patient education and medication administration in the hospital. In the hospital common problems included lack of standardization for the naming, labeling, and packaging of the medications that cause confusion. Additionally, lack of communication during report from nurse to nurse, information regarding monitoring, dose and time is not well communicated causing high risk for thromboembolism. Although some patients carry their treatment home, majority of patients receive treatment at the hospital. From year 1997 to 2008 twenty deaths and injuries occurred due to misuse of anticoagulants and only two deaths or injuries were associated with long term use. For patient education the health care profession must emphasis the importance of understanding and labeling the right medication, especially for pediatric patients. Additionally, anticoagulation labs should be provided before and during treatment to reduce any complications.
In a hospital setting, anticoagulants and antiplatelets are widely prescribed by physicians because of their greater benefits in changing the physiological homeostasis of the cardiovascular system. Anticoagulants and antiplatelets play a fundamental role in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases as they are very effective at counteracting the different symptoms cardiovascular diseases present.
Heparin resistance (HR) is a common event in cardiac operations and it refers to the need for administration of unusually high doses of heparin to achieve therapeutic levels of activated clotting time (ACT > 400 seconds). CHEST guidelines defined HR as the use of >35,000 units of heparin per 24 hours (excluding initial bolus doses). It has been observed in many disease states, such as cancer. HR can worsen the progression of acute coronary syndrome, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and other conditions requiring anticoagulation therapy.