A patient is in the process of having a heart attack due to the sudden formation of an arterial thrombus in his coronary artery.To break up the clot and save the patient's life,the best drug to use is

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A fibrinolytic drug such as streptokinase or tPA would be the best choice to break up the arterial thrombus and restore blood flow to the affected area. Heparin may help prevent further clot formation, but it does not break up existing clots. Fibrinolysis inhibitors, such as aminocaproic acid, would actually prevent the breakdown of clots, which is counterproductive in this situation. Warfarin and vitamin K are used to prevent the formation of blood clots over a longer period of time, such as in patients with atrial fibrillation or deep vein thrombosis, and are not appropriate for an acute situation like a heart attack.

A Patient Is in the Process of Having a Heart