PAEA Surgery End Of Rotation (EOR) Practice Exam

In treating DVT, which medication should be initiated for overlapping therapy?

1. Heparin

2. Warfarin

3. Aspirin

4. Clopidogrel

The correct answer is: Heparin

In the management of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the initiation of treatment often requires anticoagulation therapy to prevent further clot formation and to allow the body to gradually dissolve the existing clot. Heparin is particularly important in this context because it is a fast-acting injectable anticoagulant that can quickly reduce the risk of thrombus extension and new thrombus formation. When initiating treatment for DVT, it is standard practice to start Heparin for overlapping therapy alongside an oral anticoagulant, such as Warfarin. Heparin provides immediate anticoagulation, while Warfarin takes several days to achieve its full effect due to its mode of action that requires monitoring and dose adjustments. The overlapping therapy ensures that there is effective anticoagulation during the transition period until the Warfarin reaches therapeutic levels. Other medications mentioned, such as Aspirin and Clopidogrel, are generally antiplatelet agents that are not the first line for the treatment of DVT alone and do not provide the same level of immediate anticoagulation as Heparin. Therefore, they would not be appropriate choices for initiating overlapping therapy in a DVT treatment regimen.