Heparin contraindications

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Contraindications

Heparin sodium should not be used in patients:

• With severe thrombocytopenia;

• In whom suitable blood-coagulation tests (the whole-blood clotting time, partial thromboplastin time, etc.) cannot be performed at appropriate intervals (this contraindication refers to full-dose Heparin; there is usually no need to monitor coagulation parameters in patients receiving low-dose Heparin);

• With an uncontrollable active bleeding state, except when this is due to disseminated intravascular coagulation.

Adapted from the FDA Package Insert.