After experiencing a transient ischemic attack (TIA), a client is prescribed aspirin, 100 mg by mouth daily. The nurse should teach the client that this medication has been prescribed to?

1. A

   Control headache

2. B

   Enhance immune response

3. C

   Prevent intracranial bleeding

4. D

   Decrease platelet aggregation

Appeared in: AIIMS Bhatinda NO - 2019

Explanation

• Following a TIA, the primary goal is to prevent a subsequent, potentially larger, ischemic stroke.
• Aspirin is an antiplatelet agent that makes platelets less sticky.
• It works by irreversibly inhibiting the COX-1 enzyme, which blocks the production of thromboxane A₂, a key substance that promotes platelet clumping.
• By decreasing platelet aggregation, aspirin helps prevent the formation of blood clots (thrombi) in the cerebral arteries.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option A: While aspirin is an analgesic, the low daily dose (100 mg) is for its antiplatelet effect, not for pain management. Higher doses are typically used for headache relief.
• Option B: Aspirin is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and has no function in enhancing the immune response.
• Option C: This is the opposite of aspirin's effect. By inhibiting platelet aggregation, aspirin interferes with clotting and increases the risk of bleeding, including intracranial hemorrhage.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Safe nursing care depends on performing Pharmacology of Aspirin in Secondary Stroke Prevention in the correct sequence, documenting the action clearly, and monitoring for the expected response.
• Patient education is a key nursing responsibility. The nurse must explain that the aspirin is to prevent a stroke, not to treat a headache, to ensure adherence.
• Nurses must teach patients to recognize and report signs of bleeding, such as easy bruising, black or tarry stools (melena), coffee-ground emesis, or prolonged bleeding from minor cuts.
• Patients should be advised to inform all healthcare providers, including dentists, that they are taking daily aspirin before any procedure.

How to Approach the Question

• First, identify the patient's condition: a transient ischemic attack (TIA).
• Recognize that a TIA is a warning sign for a future ischemic stroke, so the goal of therapy is prevention.
• Identify the medication: Aspirin, 100 mg daily. This is a low dose.
• Recall the primary mechanism of low-dose aspirin. It is used as an antiplatelet agent.
• Connect the drug's action to the clinical goal. To prevent an ischemic (clot-based) stroke, the medication must interfere with clot formation.
• Evaluate the options. 'Decrease platelet aggregation' directly describes how aspirin prevents blood clots. The other options are either incorrect or not the primary purpose in this clinical scenario.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Pharmacology of Aspirin in Secondary Stroke Prevention
• Stem keywords: transient ischemic attack (TIA), aspirin, 100 mg, teach the client
• Lead-in keywords: prescribed to
• Clinical cues: History of TIA indicates a high risk for a future ischemic stroke, guiding the therapeutic goal.

Question ID

QSstpLEmpS_QbEnfl8TfE-

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 2 pp. 1353-1355, 1354-1356

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 984-986