Why is it important to monitor patients who are receiving anticoagulant therapy?
a. Drugs are expensive.
b. Prophylactic and therapeutic dosage ranges are unknown.
c. Patients commonly abuse these drugs.
d. Clinical consequences for overdosing or underdosing are significant.
ANS: D
The clinical consequences for incorrect dosage of anticoagulant drugs are significant. Overanticoagulation can lead to serious bleeding that may even require a visit to the emergency department. Underanticoagulation can lead to further thrombotic events (presumably the reason the patient is on the drug). The prophylactic and therapeutic ranges for the drugs are known and are narrow, which is another reason they must be monitored. Some of the drugs are expensive, but others are not.
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