💉 Heparin Injection 1000 IU/mL
🔹 1. Prescription / Indication:
Heparin 1000 IU/mL is used for:
- Prophylaxis and treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE):
- Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)
- Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
- Prevention of clotting in:
- Indwelling intravenous catheters (as a flush)
- Dialysis circuits
- Cardiopulmonary bypass circuits
- Treatment of arterial thromboembolism (e.g., myocardial infarction, unstable angina)
- Low-dose continuous infusion for clot prevention in hospitalized patients
📌 At 1000 IU/mL, this is a low concentration, often used for maintenance infusions or catheter flushes, not for high-dose systemic anticoagulation.
🔹 2. Description:
- Form: Injectable solution
- Strength: 1000 International Units (IU) per 1 mL
- Appearance: Clear, colorless or slightly yellow sterile liquid
- Routes of Administration:
- Intravenous (IV) — continuous infusion or bolus
- Subcutaneous (SC) — for prophylaxis
- Intracatheter — for line flushing
🔹 3. Advantages:
- Immediate onset when given IV
- Short half-life, easy to stop or reverse
- Reversible with protamine sulfate
- Preferred in settings requiring tight anticoagulation control (e.g., ICU, cardiac surgery)
🔹 4. Nature / Pharmacological Class:
- Class: Anticoagulant
- Type: Unfractionated Heparin (UFH)
- Mechanism of Action:
- Activates antithrombin III, which inactivates thrombin (Factor IIa) and Factor Xa
- Prevents fibrin clot formation
🔹 5. Common Packaging:
- Ampoules or vials of:
- 1 mL (1000 IU)
- 5 mL (5000 IU)
- 10 mL (10,000 IU)
- Prefilled syringes (varies by brand)
- Multi-dose vials (hospital use)
Common brands: Hepamed, Heparin Leo, Throm-Heparin, Hepalban, etc.
🔹 6. Storage:
- Store at 15–25°C (59–77°F)
- Do not freeze
- Protect from light
- Use within the indicated shelf-life and discard unused portion if it’s a single-use vial
- Multi-dose vials: follow hospital protocols for sterility and reuse timeframe
🔹 7. Patient Advice / Counseling Points:
- Administer only under medical supervision
- Regular monitoring of aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) is needed for IV infusions
- Watch for signs of bleeding:
- Easy bruising
- Nosebleeds
- Blood in urine or stool
- Heavy menstrual bleeding
- Risk of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia (HIT) — report unexplained low platelets
- Avoid concurrent use of NSAIDs, aspirin, or other blood thinners unless prescribed
- Inform all healthcare providers if you’re receiving heparin
🔹 8. Purpose / Use:
- Prevention and treatment of thrombosis and embolism
- Anticoagulation during surgery and dialysis
- Flushing of IV lines to maintain catheter patency
- Short-term bridging therapy when oral anticoagulants are stopped