Pharmacology · single question
Patient takes 81 mg aspirin daily. Why are the gums bleeding excessively?
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Antiplatelet action of aspirin
- A. Correct. Aspirin irreversibly inhibits platelet COX-1/thromboxane A2, impairing platelet aggregation and prolonging bleeding for the platelet lifespan (~7–10 days).
- B. Incorrect. Vitamin K deficiency affects clotting factors (PT/INR), not the platelet function the aspirin explains.
- C. Incorrect. Hemophilia is a hereditary factor deficiency; the patient's known aspirin use is the direct cause here.