AEMCA Practice Exam

What are two common anticoagulants?

1. Warfarin and Heparin

2. Aspirin and Ibuprofen

3. Clopidogrel and Enoxaparin

4. Dabigatran and Rivaroxaban

The correct answer is: Warfarin and Heparin

The correct choice identifies Warfarin and Heparin as two common anticoagulants. Warfarin is a vitamin K antagonist that works by inhibiting the synthesis of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors in the liver, thereby reducing the blood's ability to clot. It is primarily used for chronic anticoagulation in conditions such as atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. Heparin, on the other hand, is a naturally occurring anticoagulant that activates antithrombin III, which inhibits thrombin and factor Xa, leading to a rapid anticoagulant effect. It is often used in hospitals for the immediate management of clotting disorders due to its quick action. Other options include medications that either do not primarily function as anticoagulants or represent different classes of antiplatelet agents or other anticoagulants, but they do not fit as universally recognized 'common' anticoagulants in the same category as Warfarin and Heparin.