Things you need to know about Heparin

Have you ever heard of a doctor giving you or someone in your family a 'blood thinner' in a hospital? The medicine you are given may be heparin. Many people also call it a 'blood thinner'. But this name can be a bit misleading. It doesn't actually 'thin' the blood like water. So what is it? It stops dangerous blood clots from forming inside our bodies, or prevents an existing blood clot from getting bigger. So today, let's talk about heparin, which is important to many people, in a simple and understandable way.

What exactly is Heparin?

Simply put, heparin is an anticoagulant . That is, a drug that prevents blood from clotting. It does not break up and dissolve a blood clot that has already formed, but it can help the body dissolve it by preventing it from getting bigger.

You may be wondering why this is not given as a pill. The reason is that our intestines cannot absorb this medicine called heparin. Therefore, if we take it as a pill, it will not be of any use. That is why the medicine called heparin is always given in two ways:

1. Through a saline solution given into a vein (IV Infusion): This works very quickly because the medicine goes directly into the bloodstream.

2. As an injection under the skin (Subcutaneous Injection): When given this way, it takes about an hour or two for the medicine to be absorbed into the body.

How does heparin work inside our bodies?

To understand this, let's take a small example. Imagine that the formation of a blood clot in our body is a complex process, like making a product in a factory. This requires many different workers (different chemicals and proteins in our body) to work together in unison.

Two of the main workers in this factory are 'Thrombin' and 'Factor Xa' . These two perform some of the last and most important steps in the blood clot-making process.

Heparin acts like a smart supervisor who comes in and puts aside the weapons that these two key workers have. That is, heparin goes in and deactivates both 'thrombin' and 'factor Xa'. Then they can't do their job. Eventually, the whole factory stops working, and new blood clots stop forming completely. Do you understand? It's very simple, right?

What conditions do doctors use heparin for?

Heparin is a very important drug that can save lives. Therefore, it is used to treat and prevent various medical conditions. Let's look at the main cases.

Additionally, there are cases where heparin is used if the mother is at high risk of blood clots during pregnancy, as it does not harm the fetus.

What happens when heparin is given? How is it monitored?

Doctors don't just give you heparin. This is a medication that is given very carefully and with constant monitoring.

This test is called aPTT (activated partial thromboplastin time) . It measures how long it normally takes for your blood to clot. The result is used to determine the dose of heparin you need to be given.

Even after you start heparin treatment, your blood will be drawn at regular intervals (for example, every 6 hours) and this aPTT test will be repeated. It checks whether the dose of heparin you are being given is adequate, too high, or not enough. Accordingly, your doctor will often adjust the dose to keep it at the right level for you. In some emergencies, when quick results are needed, another test called ACT (activated clotting time) is used.

How long should I take heparin?

This depends entirely on the reason you are being given heparin. For example, after major surgery, it may be given for about 7 days until you are able to get up and walk. For a condition like a heart attack, it may be given for a few days until the condition is under control.

Heparin is usually a medication given in the hospital. Before you go home from the hospital, your doctor will take you off the heparin given through an IV and switch you to another blood-thinning medication that you can take as a pill.

Benefits, risks, and side effects of heparin

Like any medication, heparin has both benefits and risks.

The main advantages of heparin

• Fast acting: Works immediately, especially when given intravenously.
• Rapid elimination: When the drug is stopped, its effects quickly disappear from the body. This is very important in situations such as before surgery.
• Reversibility of the effect: If the heparin dose is somehow increased and bleeding occurs, there is an antidote called protamine that can immediately reverse its effect.
• Years of trust:It is a well-studied drug that has been used safely by doctors around the world for decades.

Risks and side effects

The main and most serious risk is excessive bleeding . When heparin is in the body, even a small wound can cause excessive bleeding.

If you are getting out of bed while in the hospital, ask someone to help you to reduce the risk of falling. If you fall, you are at greater risk of bleeding.

If a very high dose is received, there is a small chance that internal organs such as the brain, lungs, and stomach may bleed spontaneously. However, this risk is very low because the dose is controlled by regular blood tests in a hospital.

Another important thing! Other medications you are taking may interact with heparin. Therefore, it is important to tell your doctor about any other medications, vitamins, or herbal remedies you are taking.

Other side effects:

• Pain or bruising at the injection site.
• Hair loss (this is temporary).
• Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count). This is also something that doctors often monitor with blood tests.

Warning signs that require immediate medical attention

If you experience any of the following symptoms while taking heparin, it could be a sign of serious bleeding. Therefore , do not delay and seek medical advice immediately or go to the nearest hospital Emergency Department (ETU).

If a doctor in the hospital has decided to give you heparin, don't be afraid. It means that it is very important to prevent blood clots depending on your condition. Doctors will constantly monitor you and give you the necessary and safest dose. If you have any questions about this, don't be afraid to ask your doctor.