Australian Dental Council (ADC) Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

In the context of postoperative bleeding after a full mouth extraction, it's essential to identify pre-existing conditions that can influence hemostasis. Elevated prothrombin time is a significant factor in this scenario. Prothrombin time (PT) measures how long it takes blood to clot, and an elevation indicates a potential clotting disorder that can result in increased bleeding risk during and after surgical procedures. Therefore, if the patient's prothrombin time is elevated, it could directly correlate with the postoperative bleeding he experiences after the extraction.

Additionally, poorly controlled hypertension, indicated by a blood pressure reading of 180/110, can complicate bleeding issues. High blood pressure can contribute to vascular changes and may exacerbate bleeding tendencies, thus creating a perfect storm where both elevated blood pressure and prolonged clotting time can lead to significant bleeding following surgery.

Therefore, the combination of both elevated prothrombin time and poorly controlled hypertension is indeed linked to the patient's postoperative bleeding, making the choice of both conditions being responsible for the bleeding, the most appropriate answer. The interplay between these two factors is critical in understanding the patient's risk profile after a surgical procedure like a full mouth extraction.