Anticoagulants prevent or break up clots in blood vessels. Antiplatelets reduce the tendency of platelets to stick together?

• A. Anticoagulants and antiplatelets (Class)
• B. Antiplatelets (Class)
• C. Anticoagulants (Class)
• D. Analgesics (Class)

Answer: (A)

Recognize two major drug classes that prevent thrombosis by acting at different steps of the clotting process. Anticoagulants interfere with the coagulation cascade, stopping fibrin from forming and thus preventing clot growth. They’re used to prevent venous clots and to reduce stroke risk in conditions like atrial fibrillation. Antiplatelets, on the other hand, inhibit platelet activation and aggregation, which is especially important for preventing arterial clots where platelets drive the process. Since the prompt describes both actions—preventing clots and reducing platelet sticking—the broad class that includes both is the combination of anticoagulants and antiplatelets. Analgesics aren’t involved in this clot-prevention mechanism, and listing them alone would miss the anticoagulant option.