What is one of the primary uses of anticoagulants?

Anticoagulants are primarily used to prevent thrombi formation, which is the development of blood clots within blood vessels. These medications work by inhibiting certain factors in the coagulation cascade, thereby reducing the blood's ability to clot. This is crucial in clinical settings, especially for patients who are at risk for thromboembolic events such as deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, as it helps maintain proper blood flow and prevents potentially life-threatening clots from forming and obstructing blood vessels.

The other options relate to different aspects of blood health. For instance, preventing hypertension is not a direct action of anticoagulants; this typically involves medications that specifically target blood pressure. Increasing platelet count is associated with thrombopoietic agents, which encourage the production of platelets rather than inhibit clotting. Promoting blood clotting would be counterproductive to the purpose of anticoagulants, as these drugs are designed to do the opposite—prevent clotting in situations where blood clots could pose a risk to the patient.