page_title: Heparin
section_title: Medical use
hierarchical_section_title: Heparin / Medical use
caption_attribution_description: English: A sample of Heparin Sodium for injection
context_page_description: Heparin, also known as unfractionated heparin, is a medication and naturally occurring glycosaminoglycan. As a medication it is used as an anticoagulant. Specifically it is also used in the treatment of heart attacks and unstable angina. It is given by injection into a vein or under the skin. Other uses include inside test tubes and kidney dialysis machines.
  Common side effects include bleeding, pain at the injection site, and low blood platelets. Serious side effects include heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. Greater care is needed in those with poor kidney function. Heparin appears to be relatively safe for use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Heparin is produced by basophils and mast cells in all mammals.
  The discovery of heparin was announced in 1916. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. A fractionated version of heparin, known as low molecular weight heparin, is also available.
context_section_description: Heparin acts as an anticoagulant, preventing the formation of clots and extension of existing clots within the blood. While heparin it self does not break down clots that have already formed (unlike tissue plasminogen activator), it allows the body's natural clot lysis mechanisms to work normally to break down clots that have formed. Heparin is generally used for anticoagulation for the following conditions:
  Acute coronary syndrome, e.g., NSTEMI
  Atrial fibrillation
  Deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
  Cardiopulmonary bypass for heart surgery
  ECMO circuit for extracorporeal life support
  Hemofiltration
  Indwelling central or peripheral venous catheters
  Heparin and its low-molecular-weight derivatives (e.g., enoxaparin, dalteparin, tinzaparin) are effective in preventing deep vein thromboses and pulmonary emboli in people at risk, but no evidence indicates any one is more effective than the other in preventing mortality.
caption: A vial of heparin sodium for injection
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