Heparin

Heparin is a prescription medication used to prevent blood clots from forming in people who have certain medical conditions, such as blood vessel, heart, and lung conditions, or who are undergoing certain medical procedures that increase the chance that clots will form, such as open-heart surgery, bypass surgery, kidney dialysis, and blood transfusions. It is also used in low doses to prevent the formation of blood clots in certain patients, especially those who must remain in bed for a long time. Heparin may also be used to diagnose and treat a serious blood condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation. Heparin is also used in small amounts to prevent blood clots from forming in catheters (small plastic tubes through which medication can be administered or blood drawn) that are left in veins over a period of time.

Heparin can stop the growth of clots that have already formed in the blood vessels, but it cannot be used to decrease the size of clots that have already formed.

Heparin belongs to a class of medications called anticoagulants. These works by decreasing the clotting ability of the blood.

This medication is available in injectable form to be given directly into a vein (IV) or administered under the skin (subcutaneously) by a healthcare professional.

Common side effects of heparin include bleeding and injection site reactions.

Heparin is a prescription medication used to prevent blood clots from forming in people who have certain medical conditions, such as blood vessel, heart, and lung conditions, or who are undergoing certain medical procedures that increase the chance that clots will form, such as open-heart surgery, bypass surgery, kidney dialysis, and blood transfusions. It is also used in low doses to prevent the formation of blood clots in certain patients, especially those who must remain in bed for a long time. Heparin may also be used to diagnose and treat a serious blood condition called disseminated intravascular coagulation. Heparin is also used in small amounts to prevent blood clots from forming in catheters (small plastic tubes through which medication can be administered or blood drawn) that are left in veins over a period of time.

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• the method of administration
• other medical conditions you have
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight

Doses of heparin must be individualized for each patient according to the condition being treated, the route and frequency of administration, and the clinical response.

Serious side effects have been reported with heparin including the following:

• Bleeding. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms of serious or unusual bleeding.
  • unusual bruising or bleeding
  • vomit that is bloody or looks like coffee grounds
  • stool that contains bright red blood or is black and tarry
  • blood in urine

Tell your healthcare provider right away if you experience any of the following symptoms, which may indicate a serious reaction to heparin:

• excessive tiredness
• nausea
• vomiting
• chest pain, pressure, or squeezing discomfort
• discomfort in the arms, shoulder, jaw, neck, or back
• coughing up blood
• excessive sweating
• sudden severe headache
• lightheadedness or fainting
• sudden loss of balance or coordination
• sudden trouble walking
• sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
• sudden confusion, or difficulty speaking or understanding speech
• difficulty seeing in one or both eyes
• purple or black skin discoloration
• pain and blue or dark discoloration in the arms or legs
• itching and burning, especially on the bottoms of the feet
• chills
• fever
• hives
• rash
• wheezing
• shortness of breath
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• hoarseness
• painful erection that lasts for hours

Do not take heparin if you:

• are allergic to heparin or to any of its ingredients
• have thrombocytopenia (decreased platelets in your blood)
• are uncontrollably bleeding
• cannot undergo laboratory tests to assess blood clotting ability

Serious side effects have been reported with heparin. See the “Heparin Precautions” section.

Common side effects of heparin include the following:

• bleeding
• decreased platelets
• injection site irritation
• allergic reactions
• hair loss

This is not a complete list of heparin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including aspirin, celecoxib (Celebrex), indomethacin (Indocin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), and ibuprofen (Aleve, Motrin)
• glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists such as abciximab (ReoPro), eptifibatide (Integrilin), tirofiban (Aggrastat)
• anti-platelet agents such as prasugrel (Effient), ticlopidine (Ticlid), and clopidogrel (Plavix)
• dipyridamole (Persantine, in Aggrenox)
• hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil)
• dextran
• antithrombin III (Thrombate III)
• digoxin (Digitek, Lanoxin)
• nicotine
• nitrates such as nitroglycerin (Nitrostat, Nitromist, Nitrolingual Pumpsprapy, Nitro-Bid, Nitro-Dur, Transderm-Nitro, Nitro-Time), isosorbide mononitrate, and isosorbide dinitrate (Isordil, Isordil Titradose, Dilatrate-SR)
• quinine
• tetracycline antibiotics such as demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Monodox, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin)

This is not a complete list of heparin drug interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X - are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Heparin falls into category C. There are no well-controlled studies that have been done in pregnant women. Heparin should be used during pregnancy only if the possible benefit outweighs the possible risk to the unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

Due to its large size, heparin is not likely to be excreted in human milk, and any heparin in milk would not be orally absorbed by a nursing infant. Benzyl alcohol (a preservative) present in maternal serum is likely to cross into human milk and may be orally absorbed by a nursing infant. Exercise caution when administering heparin to a nursing mother. If available, preservative-free heparin injection is recommended when heparin therapy is needed during lactation.