Posted: June 6th, 2017

A client who has been receiving heparin therapy also is started on warfarin. The client asks a nurse why both medications are being administered. In formulating a response, the nurse incorporates the understanding that warfarin:

A client who has been receiving heparin therapy also is started on warfarin. The client asks a nurse why both medications are being administered. In formulating a response, the nurse incorporates the understanding that warfarin:

1. Stimulates the breakdown of specific clotting factors by the liver, and it takes two (2)- three (3) days for this to exert an anticoagulant effect.
2. Inhibits synthesis of specific clotting factors in the liver, and it takes 3-4 days for this medication to exert an anticoagulant effect.
3. Stimulates production of the body’s own thrombolytic substances, but it takes 2-4 days for this to begin.
4. Has the same mechanism of action as Heparin, and the crossover time is needed for the serum level of warfarin to be therapeutic.