Which laboratory result would be most concerning for a nurse caring for a patient on anticoagulants?

For a patient on anticoagulants, a platelet count of 50,000/mm3 is particularly concerning. Anticoagulants are prescribed to prevent blood clots, but they also carry the risk of increased bleeding. A normal platelet count typically ranges from 150,000 to 450,000/mm3, so a platelet count of 50,000/mm3 indicates thrombocytopenia, which significantly raises the risk of bleeding complications.

When a patient's platelet levels drop to this level, their ability to form clots is markedly impaired, making them vulnerable to spontaneous bleeding. This low platelet count could necessitate immediate intervention to assess the cause and manage the risk effectively, as it could be indicative of a serious underlying issue or a side effect of the anticoagulant therapy itself.

In contrast, a PT/INR of 2.0 could be within the therapeutic range for many anticoagulant therapies, depending on the indication for anticoagulation; a platelet count of 150,000/mm3 is considered normal; and a fibrinogen level within the normal range suggests that the coagulation cascade is functioning adequately. Therefore, the significant drop in platelet count to 50,000/mm3 is what makes this result alarming for a