Anticoagulant agent

Anticoagulant agent
A medication used as a "blood-thinner" to prevent the formation of blood clots and to maintain open blood vessels. Anticoagulants have various uses. Some are used for the prophylaxis (prevention) or the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. Thrombi are clots. Emboli are clots that break free, travel through the bloodstream, and lodge therein. The anticoagulant drugs used for these clinical purposes include: {{}}Intravenous heparin — which acts by inactivating thrombin and several other clotting factors required for a clot to form; Oral anticoagulants such as warfarin and dicumarol — which act by inhibiting the liver's production of vitamin K dependent factors crucial to clotting. Anticoagulant solutions are also used for the preservation of stored whole blood and blood fractions. These anticoagulants include heparin and acid citrate dextrose (commonly called ACD). Anticoagulants are also used to keep laboratory blood specimens from clotting. These agents include not only heparin but also several agents that make calcium ions unavailable to the clotting process and so prevent the formation of clots; these agents include ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (commonly called EDTA), citrate, oxalate and fluoride.

Medical dictionary. 2011.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • anticoagulant — /an tee koh ag yeuh leuhnt, an tuy /, Biochem., Pharm. adj. 1. Also, anticoagulative /an tee koh ag yeuh lay tiv, leuh tiv, an tuy /. preventing coagulation, esp. of blood. n. 2. an anticoagulant agent, as heparin. [1900 05; ANTI + COAGULANT] * * …   Universalium

  • anticoagulant — an•ti•co•ag•u•lant [[t]ˌæn ti koʊˈæg yə lənt, ˌæn taɪ [/t]] adj. 1) biochem. Also, an•ti•co•ag•u•la•tive [[t] ˌleɪ tɪv, lə tɪv[/t]] preventing coagulation, esp. of blood 2) pha an anticoagulant agent, as heparin • Etymology: 1900–05 …   From formal English to slang

  • anticoagulant — /ˌæntikoʊˈægjələnt/ (say .anteekoh agyuhluhnt) adjective 1. preventing or reducing coagulation, especially of blood. –noun 2. an anticoagulant agent …  

  • Anticoagulant — Any agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots. Anticoagulants have various uses. Some are used for the prophylaxis (prevention) or the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. Thrombi are clots. Emboli are clots that break free, travel… …   Medical dictionary

  • Anticoagulant — An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of blood. A group of pharmaceuticals called anticoagulants can be used in vivo as a medication for thrombotic disorders. Some anticoagulants are used in medical equipment, such… …   Wikipedia

  • anticoagulant — n. an agent that prevents the clotting of blood. The natural anticoagulant heparin directly interferes with blood clotting and is active both within the body and against a sample of blood in a test tube. Synthetic drugs, such as warfarin, are… …   The new mediacal dictionary

  • anticoagulant — n. & adj. n. any drug or agent that retards or inhibits coagulation, esp. of the blood. adj. retarding or inhibiting coagulation …   Useful english dictionary

  • Blood-thinner — A common name for an anticoagulant agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots. Blood thinners do not really thin the blood. They prevent it from clotting. Blood thinners (anticoagulants) have various uses. Some are used for the… …   Medical dictionary

  • drug — drug1 /drug/, n., v., drugged, drugging. n. 1. Pharm. a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well being. 2. (in federal law) a. any substance… …   Universalium

  • Drug — /droog/, n. Zoroastrianism. the cosmic principle of disorder and falsehood. Cf. Asha. [ < Avestan drauga] * * * I Any chemical agent that affects the function of living things. Some, including antibiotics, stimulants, tranquilizers,… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”