A 68-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department Due to Lightheadedness

question 123

Multiple Choice

A 68-year-old man comes to the emergency department due to lightheadedness, generalized weakness, and palpitations.  The patient has a prolonged history of hypertension and takes amlodipine.  He does not use tobacco or alcohol.  His blood pressure is 110/60 mm Hg and pulse is 144/min and irregular.  ECG shows an irregularly irregular rhythm and absent P waves.  The patient is started on beta blocker therapy for rate control, with improvement in his heart rate.  Long-term anticoagulation is initiated to prevent atrial thrombus formation, and he is eventually discharged home on warfarin.  Which of the following is the best test to monitor the anticoagulation effect of warfarin in this patient?

• A)Activated partial thromboplastin time
• B)Bleeding time
• C)Fibrin split products
• D)Fibrinogen levels
• E)Prothrombin time

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Definitions:

Attitudes and Beliefs

The feelings and convictions that influence how individuals perceive and react to their environment and make decisions.

Stimulus Discrimination

The process by which individuals or organisms learn to respond differently to various stimuli that are not identical.

Selective Retention

The process by which individuals remember only information that is consistent with their beliefs or attitudes, ignoring contradictory information.

Selective Comprehension

The process by which consumers interpret information in a way that aligns with their existing beliefs and attitudes, often leading to distorted perceptions.