A therapist treats a patient taking anticoagulant medication. What increased risk should the therapist be aware of?

The increased risk that therapists should be most concerned about in patients taking anticoagulant medication is bleeding. Anticoagulants are prescribed to reduce the blood's ability to clot, which helps prevent conditions such as thrombosis and stroke. However, this alteration in clotting can lead to a heightened risk of both minor and major bleeding events, including bruising, gastrointestinal bleeding, and intracranial hemorrhages.

Therapists need to monitor and assess for signs of bleeding during treatment sessions, as even routine activities could potentially lead to bleeding complications in susceptible individuals. Understanding this risk is crucial for providing safe and effective care while taking into account any necessary precautions or modifications to the treatment plan.

In the context of the other options, pulmonary edema, arrhythmias, and orthostatic hypotension, while they all represent important considerations in a patient's overall cardiovascular status, they do not directly stem from the use of anticoagulants in the same way that bleeding does. Therefore, while they may be relevant in different contexts, the bleeding risk is the primary concern associated with anticoagulant therapy.