anticoagulant

anticoagulant
/an'tee koh ag"yeuh leuhnt, an'tuy-/, Biochem., Pharm.
adj.
1. Also, anticoagulative /an'tee koh ag"yeuh lay'tiv, -leuh tiv, an'tuy-/. preventing coagulation, esp. of blood.
n.
2. an anticoagulant agent, as heparin.
[1900-05; ANTI- + COAGULANT]

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Substance that prevents blood from clotting by suppressing the synthesis or function of various clotting factors (see coagulation).

Anticoagulants are given to prevent thrombosis and used in drawing and storing blood. There are two main types of anticoagulants: heparin and vitamin K antagonists (e.g., warfarin). The latter have longer-lasting effects, interfering in the liver's metabolism of vitamin K to cause production of defective clotting factors. Anticoagulant therapy carries a high risk of uncontrollable hemorrhage.

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      any drug that, when added to blood, prevents it from clotting (coagulation). Anticoagulants achieve their effect by suppressing the synthesis or function of various clotting factors that are normally present in the blood. Such drugs are often used to prevent blood clots (thrombi) from forming in the veins or arteries. Anticoagulants are generally of two types. One type is heparin, which is a mixture of mucopolysaccharides that promote the activity of antithrombin III, a blood plasma protein that inactivates thrombin (an enzyme that promotes clotting). The other type consists of the coumarin derivatives, which interfere in the metabolism of vitamin K in the liver. Since vitamin K is an important element in the synthesis of various clotting factors, interference in the metabolism of that vitamin gives rise to clotting factors that are defective and hence inactive in the blood. Coumarin derivatives differ from heparin primarily in their longer duration of action; of these, the most widely used is warfarin. A major side effect of anticoagulant therapy is hemorrhage. Anticoagulants are also used in drawing and storing blood.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • anticoagulant — anticoagulant, ante [ ɑ̃tikɔagylɑ̃, ɑ̃t ] adj. et n. m. • 1896; de 1. anti et coagulant ♦ Méd. Qui empêche ou retarde la coagulation du sang. Une substance anticoagulante. N. m. L héparine est un anticoagulant. ● anticoagulant, anticoagulante… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • anticoagulant — ANTICOAGULÁNT, Ă, anticoagulanţi, te, adj., s.m. (Medicament) care împiedică coagularea. [pr.: co a ] – Din fr. anticoagulant. Trimis de ana zecheru, 28.10.2004. Sursa: DEX 98  anticoagulánt adj. → coagulant Trimis de siveco, 13.09.2007. Sursa:… …   Dicționar Român

  • anticoagulant — 1905, adjective and noun, from ANTI (Cf. anti ) + COAGULANT (Cf. coagulant) …   Etymology dictionary

  • anticoagulant — [an΄tī kō ag′yo͞o lənt; an΄tēkō ag′yo͞o i lənt, an΄tikō ag′yo͞o i lənt] n. a drug or substance that delays or prevents the clotting of blood, as heparin …   English World dictionary

  • Anticoagulant — Un anticoagulant est une substance chimique ayant la propriété d inhiber la coagulabilité naturelle du sang. Le sang ainsi traité ne coagulera pas ou alors moins vite, mais gardera la même viscosité. L usage principal de l anticoagulant est à… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Anticoagulant — An anticoagulant is a substance that prevents coagulation (clotting) of blood. A group of pharmaceuticals called anticoagulants can be used in vivo as a medication for thrombotic disorders. Some anticoagulants are used in medical equipment, such… …   Wikipedia

  • Anticoagulant — Any agent used to prevent the formation of blood clots. Anticoagulants have various uses. Some are used for the prophylaxis (prevention) or the treatment of thromboembolic disorders. Thrombi are clots. Emboli are clots that break free, travel… …   Medical dictionary

  • anticoagulant — UK [ˌæntɪkəʊˈæɡjələnt] / US [ˌæntɪkoʊˈæɡjələnt] noun [countable/uncountable] Word forms anticoagulant : singular anticoagulant plural anticoagulants a substance that prevents blood from coagulating (= becoming more solid) Derived word:… …   English dictionary

  • anticoagulant — noun Date: circa 1905 a substance that hinders the clotting of blood ; blood thinner • anticoagulant adjective …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • anticoagulant — 1. noun A substance that prevents coagulation; that is, it stops blood from clotting. Ant: coagulant 2. adjective Acting as an anticoagulant …   Wiktionary

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