Anticoagulant

anticoagulant /an·ti·co·ag·u·lant/ (-ko-ag´u-lant) acting to suppress, delay, or nullify blood coagulation, or an agent that does this.

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circulating anticoagulant  a substance in the blood which inhibits normal blood clotting and may cause a hemorrhagic syndrome.

lupus anticoagulant  a circulating anticoagulant that inhibits the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin; it paradoxically increases the risk of thromboembolism and is seen in some cases of systemic lupus erythematosus.

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an·ti·co·ag·u·lant (nt-k-gy-lnt, nt-)

n.

A substance that prevents the clotting of blood.

adj.

Acting as an anticoagulant.

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anti·co·agu·lative (-ltv, -l-tv) adj.

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Anticoagulant

Drug used to prevent clot formation or to prevent a clot that has formed from enlarging. Anticoagulant drugs inhibit clot formation by blocking the action of clotting factors or platelets. Anticoagulant drugs fall into three groups: inhibitors of clotting factor synthesis, inhibitors of thrombin and antiplatelet drugs.

Mentioned in: Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Drugs, Leeches, Myocardial Biopsy

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anticoagulant (anˈ·tē·kō·agˑ·y·lnt),

n a substance that inhibits blood clotting.

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anticoagulant (an´tīkōag´ylnt),

n a drug that delays or prevents coagulation of blood.

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anticoagulant

1. serving to prevent the coagulation of blood.

2. any substance that, in vivo or in vitro, suppresses, delays or nullifies coagulation of the blood.

There is limited therapeutic use for anticoagulants in animals; their importance is in the collection of blood for testing and for transfusion and in toxicology.

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anticoagulant drugs

see citric acid, edta or edetate and heparin, all of which are used for blood collection.

anticoagulant poisoning

see dicoumarol, warfarin.

anticoagulant rodenticide

includes warfarin, pindone, diphacinone, phentolacin, Valone.

snake venom anticoagulant

see russell's viper venom.

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anticoagulant A general term for any substance that prevents coagulation of blood Hematology Anticoagulants administered to prevent or treat thromboembolic disorders include heparin, a parenteral agent which inactivates thrombin and other clotting factors and oral anticoagulants–warfarin, dicumarol et al, which inhibit the hepatic synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors Lab medicine Anticoagulants used to prevent clotting of blood specimens for laboratory analysis: heparin and substances that make Ca2+ unavailable for clotting–eg, EDTA, citrate, oxalate, fluoride Medtalk Blood thinner Transfusion medicine Anticoagulant solutions used to preserve stored whole blood and blood fractions: ACD–acid citrate dextrose, CPD–citrate phosphate dextrose, CPDA-1–citrate phosphate dextrose adenine and heparin

Anticoagulants–categories & uses

• Coumadin ® Prevent blood clot formation
• Heparin Prevent blood clot formation
• Thrombolytics, eg tPA, streptokinase–dissolve blood clots