NCLEX RN Practice Question # 731

NCLEX Examination.

Practice Question # 731.

Heparin may be used in many clinical situations to prevent the formation of new clots or the extension of existing clots. These situations include:

• preventing or treating venous thromboemboli, characterized by inappropriate or excessive intravascular activation of blood clotting as well as extending embolisms
• treating disseminated intravascular coagulation, a complication of other diseases that results in accelerated clotting
• treating arterial clotting and preventing embolus formation in patients with atrial fibrillation, an arrhythmia in which ineffective atrial contractions cause blood to pool in the atria, increasing the risk of clot formation
• preventing thrombus formation and promoting cardiac circulation in an acute myocardial infarction (MI) by preventing further clot formation at the site of the already formed clot.