Which medication should a CST prepare for most vascular cases?

In most vascular surgical cases, heparin is the medication that should be prepared. Heparin is an anticoagulant that plays a critical role in preventing blood clots during surgery. Its use is especially important in vascular procedures, where maintaining blood flow is crucial and the risk of thrombosis is elevated.

Heparin acts quickly, typically administered intravenously or subcutaneously to achieve immediate anticoagulation. This property is essential when surgeons need to manipulate blood vessels, as it helps manage the patient’s coagulation status during the procedure and minimizes the risk of complications associated with clot formation.

While adrenaline, aspirin, and ibuprofen have their respective indications in various medical contexts, they are not specifically tailored for the same purpose in vascular surgeries. Adrenaline may be used for local vasoconstriction or in cardiac arrest situations, aspirin is primarily an antiplatelet agent useful in preventing arterial thrombosis, and ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug helpful for pain relief and inflammation but does not serve as an anticoagulant. Therefore, heparin stands out as the critical medication prepared for vascular cases due to its direct impact on managing the patient's anticoagulation during surgery.