A patient with a history of mitral valve replacement,hypertension,and type 2 diabetes mellitus undergoes emergency surgery to remove an embolus in her right leg.Which factor contraindicates the use of epidural analgesia in this patient?

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Patients who undergo mitral valve replacement typically require long-term anticoagulant therapy.Anticoagulant therapy is a contraindication for epidural analgesia use because of the risk for spinal hematoma and uncontrolled bleeding.Diabetes and hypertension are not contraindications for epidural analgesia.Epidural analgesia is commonly used after embolectomy because certain anesthetic agents,such as bupivacaine,help prevent vasospasm.

A Patient with a History of Mitral Valve Replacement,hypertension,and Type