Coumadin (warfarin) is an anticoagulant. What is its antidote?

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Multiple Choice

Coumadin (warfarin) is an anticoagulant. What is its antidote?

Warfarin blocks the recycling of vitamin K, so the liver can’t activate clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X. Giving vitamin K replenishes the vitamin, allowing those factors to be produced again and reversing the anticoagulant effect. In practice, oral vitamin K reverses nonurgently, while IV vitamin K with products like PCC or fresh frozen plasma provides rapid reversal in an emergency. The other drugs listed target different overdoses: protamine sulfate reverses heparin, naloxone reverses opioids, and flumazenil reverses benzodiazepines.

Warfarin blocks the recycling of vitamin K, so the liver can’t activate clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X. Giving vitamin K replenishes the vitamin, allowing those factors to be produced again and reversing the anticoagulant effect. In practice, oral vitamin K reverses nonurgently, while IV vitamin K with products like PCC or fresh frozen plasma provides rapid reversal in an emergency. The other drugs listed target different overdoses: protamine sulfate reverses heparin, naloxone reverses opioids, and flumazenil reverses benzodiazepines.

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