A patient has a splitting headache prior to his blood draw.He takes two aspirin, and his blood is drawn.Platelet aggregation studies are performed, and one comes back abnormal.Based on this information, which agonist will show an abnormal aggregation pattern?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Aspirin inhibits the cyclooxygenase pathway, which is responsible for the production of thromboxane A2. Thromboxane A2 is a potent platelet agonist, and its inhibition will lead to an abnormal aggregation pattern in response to all agonists, including arachidonic acid, epinephrine, and collagen.

A Patient Has a Splitting Headache Prior to His Blood