Week 5: Blood/CV Drugs 4 – Anticoagulants, Antiplatelet Drugs and Thrombolytics
Learning Outcomes
Be able to:
- outline the normal physiological processes involved in hemostasis and thrombosis, including platelet activation and aggregation, and the coagulation cascade (review)
- describe the role of arterial and venous thrombi in ischemic heart disease, stroke and pulmonary embolism (review)
- explain the cellular mechanism of action of the different classes of anticoagulants, thrombolytics and antiplatelet drugs
- describe the major adverse effects, contraindications and important diet/drug interactions associated with anticoagulants, thrombolytics and antiplatelet drugs
- explain the importance of drug monitoring when using warfarin, and outline the role of the INR in patient management
- outline the therapeutic rationale for the use of these drugs in the treatment and prevention of acute coronary syndromes, stroke, transient ischemia attack and venous thromboembolism
- name the other classes of drugs used in the general management of acute coronary syndrome (myocardial infarction and unstable angina).