Toxicology: dabigatran bleeding: practice question

A Forensic Medicine question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Forensic Medicine · Toxicology: dabigatran bleeding

Sample item

A patient on dabigatran has life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. Which agent specifically reverses its effect?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Idarucizumab

Idarucizumab is a monoclonal antibody fragment that binds dabigatran and neutralises it. Protamine reverses heparin, vitamin K reverses warfarin and andexanet reverses factor Xa inhibitors such as rivaroxaban and apixaban.

Option by option

  • A. Protamine sulphate

    Protamine reverses heparin, not dabigatran.

  • B. Idarucizumab (correct)

    Correct. Idarucizumab specifically binds dabigatran.

  • C. Andexanet alfa

    Andexanet reverses factor Xa inhibitors, not the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran.

  • D. Vitamin K

    Vitamin K reverses vitamin K antagonists.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More Forensic Medicine questions

Questions about this Forensic Medicine question

What is the answer to this Forensic Medicine question?

The best answer is B, Idarucizumab. Idarucizumab is a monoclonal antibody fragment that binds dabigatran and neutralises it.

Why is "Protamine sulphate" not the answer?

Protamine reverses heparin, not dabigatran.

Why is "Andexanet alfa" not the answer?

Andexanet reverses factor Xa inhibitors, not the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran.

Why is "Vitamin K" not the answer?

Vitamin K reverses vitamin K antagonists.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Toxicology: dabigatran bleeding in Forensic Medicine. Protamine reverses heparin, vitamin K reverses warfarin and andexanet reverses factor Xa inhibitors such as rivaroxaban and apixaban.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Toxicology: dabigatran bleeding?

Learn postmortem changes with their timelines, and toxicology as poison, sign, test and antidote. Then use the flashcards and the other Forensic Medicine questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.