Antiplatelets

Medication class detail with safety cues and nursing action focus.

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CardiacHematologic / ImmuneNeuroneeds review

Antiplatelets

Examples: aspirin, clopidogrel

Mechanism

Makes platelets less sticky so arterial clots are less likely to form.

Used for

  • MI prevention
  • Stroke/TIA prevention
  • Stent support

Side effects

  • Bleeding
  • GI irritation
  • Tinnitus with salicylate toxicity

Nursing actions

  • Assess bleeding risk and allergy history.
  • Teach to report black stools, unusual bruising, or bleeding.
  • Check procedure instructions before stopping therapy.

Hold / question cues

  • Active bleeding
  • Aspirin allergy
  • Suspected hemorrhagic stroke

Antidote / reversal

  • No routine class-specific antidote or reversal agent is seeded for this class; hold/question unsafe doses, support ABCs, notify the provider, and use facility or poison-control guidance for toxicity.

NCLEX pearl

  • Platelets plug; antiplatelets prevent the plug.

Drive Pack cross references

AspirinDrug