Pts undergoing amputation taking aspirin?

LCRN · Feb 6, 2006

I have a question on an assignment that asks why patients undergoing amputation would take aspirin or pentoxiflylline? For some reason, I am totally clueless! Any help would be great!

My immediate thought is...what is the purpose of a daily aspirin? For it's properties in plt aggregation...what is the patient's history? Coronary artery disease or does the patient have a recent history of cardiac cath with exact diagnosis of vessels and disease? If the physician wants to keep the patient on aspirin for a surgery that's fine...of course the CBC results would be monitored carefully as well as the coags. You need to think of the risks and benefits of not having the patient's aspirin...

Hope this gives you some insight...

LCRN

Larry77, RN · Feb 6, 2006

I work on a surgical floor and we give all pt's (unless contraindicated) either Heparin or Coumadin following surgery. The reason behind this is clots are a fairly common and very dangerous side effect following surgery. This is due to the vascular damage that occurs during surgery.

Simple answer being, "To prevent clots including DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and PE (pulmonary embolism)"

suzanne4, RN · Feb 6, 2006

I work on a surgical floor and we give all pt's (unless contraindicated) either Heparin or Coumadin following surgery. The reason behind this is clots are a fairly common and very dangerous side effect following surgery. This is due to the vascular damage that occurs during surgery.
Simple answer being, "To prevent clots including DVT (deep vein thrombosis) and PE (pulmonary embolism)"

That is after the surgery, normally coumadin is always stopped one week out from surgery unless there are specific reasons not do. You are at greater risk of bleeding during the procedure. Even patients that have received Plavix after a cardiac cath need to wait several days for open heart surgery, unless the surgery is declared an emergency. Greater risk for bleeding.

Even garlic tablets are stopped about two weeks out, for the same reasons.:) Any medications that alter clotting times are at issue.

kelly2006 · Feb 8, 2006

Thanks to all of you for the great information!! It helped me out so much!!