The nurse is reviewing new medication orders for a patient who has an epidural catheter for pain relief. Vitamin K is the antidote for warfarin (Coumadin) overdose. Protamine sulfate is a specific heparin antidote and forms a complex with heparin, completely reversing its anticoagulant properties. Which substance is the antidote for heparin overdose? A patient has received an overdose of intravenous heparin, and is showing signs of excessive bleeding.

The patient's intravenous heparin dose is at therapeutic levels ANS: BĪ normal INR (without warfarin) is 1.0, whereas a therapeutic INR (with warfarin) ranges from 2 to 3.5, depending on the indication for use of the drug (e.g., atrial fibrillation, thromboprevention, prosthetic heart valve). The patient's intravenous heparin dose is dangerously high. The patient's warfarin dose is at therapeutic levels. The patient is not receiving enough warfarin to have a therapeutic effect. While monitoring the patient's laboratory work, the nurse interprets that the patient's international normalized ratio (INR) level of 3 indicates that A patient has had recent mechanical heart valve surgery and is receiving anticoagulant therapy.

Antidote for warfarin overdose