AEMCA Practice Exam

The process of coagulation involves which element?

1. Iron

2. Calcium

3. Vitamin K

4. Magnesium

The correct answer is: Calcium

The process of coagulation primarily involves calcium. Calcium ions play a critical role in the coagulation cascade, which is essential for blood clotting. They are necessary for various steps in the cascade, facilitating interactions between clotting factors and promoting the conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, subsequently leading to the formation of fibrin, which stabilizes the clot. While elements like iron, vitamin K, and magnesium have important functions in the body and can influence clotting in various ways, calcium's direct involvement in the coagulation pathway makes it fundamental to the clotting process. Vitamin K, for example, is crucial for the synthesis of certain clotting factors, but it does not take part in the coagulation cascade as directly as calcium does. This makes calcium the key element in the coagulation process.