Question

Chewables? Critical Thinking Question (5 pts.) (You may use the back of the page to write your answer if needed). Today's question comes in two parts: Today, you learned about blood components, plasma, and hemostasis reaction cascade. Use what you learned in this lecture to answer these 2 questions: 1. When you read the testimonials and memoirs of survivors of WWill concentration camps, many of them mention that the weight loss form severe malnutrition was quite remarkable, and yet, their ankles and feet would get so swollen that walking would become difficult. How do you explain the swelling in the lower extremities in the concentration camp victims? (hint: it has something to do with albumin) 2. Aspirin is known for its blood-thinning action. How, do you think, it works? Be specific, and point out, at which step of hemostasis aspirin interferes with thrombogenesis reaction cascade and inhibits the production of blood clots.

Answer 1

1. In this case, the patients were severely malnourished. This results in very low serum album concentration. This causes low osmotic pressure in the blood and there is relatively higher osmotic pressure in the extra cellular fluid. As water travels from lower osmotic pressure to higher osmotic pressure, the extravasation of fluid occurs from blood vessels into extra cellular fluid. The fluid collects in the lower extremities due to gravitational force. This causes swelling of feel in malnourished individuals.

2. Aspirin acts as a blood thinner by deactivating the enzyme cyclooxygenase (Cox). This is an irreversible deactivation. This prevents Cox from reacting with arachdonic acid and production of thromboxane A2. Due to non production of thromboxane A2 which is necessary for clumping of platelets and clot formation, thinning of blood occurs. There is increased chances of bleeding due to thinning of blood and non formation of blood clots.

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