Which of the following is an antihemorrhagic vitamin?

UPPSC-2021

Applied Nutrition & Dietetics

Easy

Appeared in: UPPSC-2021

Explanation

Vitamin K is commonly referred to as the antihemorrhagic vitamin due to its essential role in blood coagulation.
It is a necessary cofactor for the hepatic synthesis of functional clotting factors II (prothrombin), VII, IX, and X.
This process, known as gamma-carboxylation, allows these proteins to bind calcium, a critical step in the blood clotting cascade.
A deficiency in Vitamin K impairs this process, leading to an increased tendency for bleeding and a prolonged prothrombin time (PT).

Option A: Vitamin A is primarily involved in vision (formation of rhodopsin), immune function, and maintaining the integrity of epithelial cells. It does not have a direct role in blood coagulation.
Option B: Vitamin D's main function is to regulate calcium and phosphate homeostasis, which is crucial for bone mineralization and health. It is not involved in the synthesis of clotting factors.
Option C: Vitamin E is a major lipid-soluble antioxidant that protects cell membranes from oxidative damage. While very high doses can interfere with Vitamin K's function and cause bleeding, its primary physiological role is not antihemorrhagic.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Physiological role of fat-soluble vitamins as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
A critical nursing responsibility is the administration of a prophylactic intramuscular injection of Vitamin K to all newborns to prevent Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding (VKDB), a serious condition that can cause intracranial hemorrhage.
Nurses play a key role in educating patients taking warfarin (a Vitamin K antagonist) about the importance of maintaining a consistent dietary intake of Vitamin K. Sudden changes can destabilize their International Normalized Ratio (INR), increasing the risk of either clotting or bleeding.
What if? If a patient with chronic liver disease presents with bleeding, their prothrombin time (PT) will be prolonged. Administering Vitamin K may not correct the PT if the liver is too damaged to synthesize clotting factors, unlike in a patient with simple Vitamin K deficiency.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question: 'antihemorrhagic'.
Break down the term: 'anti-' means against, and 'hemorrhagic' relates to bleeding. The question is asking for the vitamin that prevents or stops bleeding.
Recall the primary functions of the fat-soluble vitamins listed in the options.
Associate Vitamin K with 'Koagulation' (the German word for coagulation) and its well-known role in producing blood clotting factors.
Systematically eliminate the other options based on their primary roles: Vitamin A for vision, Vitamin D for bone health, and Vitamin E for its antioxidant properties.
Conclude that Vitamin K is the correct answer due to its direct and essential function in the blood clotting process.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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