• II, VII, IX and X are vitamin K dependent
– So are the anticoagulants Protein C and S
• Produced in hepatocytes initially as precursors
• Glutamic acid residues (within the GLA domain) are
carboxylated to gamma carboxy glutamic acid by a
vitamin K dependent carboxylase
• Gamma carboxy glutamic acids are necessary for
interaction with platelet membranes & Ca++
• No vitamin K no gamma carboxy glutamic acids
no membrane bound coagulation factor complexes
Anticoagulation Drugs
Vit K antagonist
Natural Anticoag System
Anticoagulation Drugs
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Fibrinolytic System
Fibrinolytic Drugs
tPA
Streptokinase
Key Components
Nota:
Fibrin clot Plasminogen & plasmin Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)
Fibrin degradation products including D‐dimers
Alpha‐2 antiplasmin Plasminogen activator inhibitor
Key Clinical Tests to Know
D Dimer
Nota:
• ↑ DD indicates clotting activity
“normal” DD would rule out the presence of any
significant clot, ie …
• Pulmonary embolus
• DVT
**Requires a highly sensitive assay**
Mixing Studies
Nota:
Use: Is a prolongation due to factor deficiency or
inhibitor?
• Basis: 50% of any factor is sufficient for normal clotting
• Procedure: Mix equal amounts of normal and patient
plasma repeat test
• Interpretation:
– If the PT/PTT corrects into the normal range than the
prolongation was due to a factor deficiency
– If not, the prolongation is due to an inhibitor in the patient’s
plasma that is interfering with clot formation (factor specific
antibody, lupus anticoagulant, heparin)
PTT
Nota:
Evaluates the intrinsic pathway
• All elements involved are intrinsic to the
circulation … ie, no TF
• Used for monitoring of unfractionated heparin
Specimen collected in citrate to remove Ca++
• Patient’s platelets removed by centrifugation
• Silica is added to the specimen along with
Ca++ and phospholipids previously removed …
t0
– Phospholipids ‐ TF = partial thromboplastin
PT
Nota:
• Evaluates the extrinsic pathway
• Initiated by TF which is extrinsic to the
circulation
• Specimen collected in citrate to remove Ca++
• Patient’s platelets removed by centrifugation
• TF is added to the specimen along with Ca++
and phospholipids previously removed … t0
– Phospholipids + TF = thromboplastin
INR
Nota:
• TF reagents are variably thrombogenic
• INR was devised to standardize the PT results across labs
• Developed to facilitate warfarin management
– Your patient returns to Connecticut from winter in Florida
• Each batch of manufactured TF is assigned an ISI (International
Sensitivity Index)
• ISI value indicates how the batch of TF compares to an
internationally standardized sample
• INR = an equation you don’t need to know
• Normal INR ≈ 1; typical therapeutic INR ≈ 2‐3
– The average INR of FFP (fresh frozen plasma) is 1.5
Bad Clot Formation!!!
Nota:
What is Virchow's Triad?
alteration in blood flow -stasis/turbulence
endothelial injury-collagen and TF
alterations in composition of blood (pro and anti coag)