This medication is used to prevent and treat blood clots. It may be used to treat blood clots in the lungs/legs. It may also be used to prevent blood clots after surgery, during dialysis, when collecting blood samples, or when a person is unable to move for a long time. Heparin helps to keep blood flowing smoothly by making a certain natural substance in your body (anti-clotting protein) work better. It is known as an anticoagulant.

This medication is given by injection into a vein or under the skin (subcutaneously) as directed by your doctor. Do not inject this medication into a muscle. Dosage is based on your medical condition, weight, and response to treatment.

Heparin comes in many strengths. Serious (sometimes fatal) errors have occurred when the wrong strength was used. Check that you are using the correct strength and dose before injecting this medication.

If you are giving this medication to yourself at home, learn all preparation and usage instructions from your health care professional. Before using, check this product visually for particles or discoloration. If either is present, do not use the liquid. Learn how to store and discard medical supplies safely.

For products given under the skin, clean the injection site with rubbing alcohol before injecting each dose. It is important to change the location of the injection site daily to avoid problem areas under the skin.

Use this medication regularly in order to get the most benefit from it. To help you remember, use it at the same times each day. It is important to continue using this medication even if you feel well. Do not suddenly stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor.

Your doctor may direct you to switch to an anticoagulant taken by mouth (e.g., warfarin). Use this medication and any new medication exactly as directed by your doctor.

Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Mild pain/redness/irritation at the injection site may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: swelling at injection site, bone pain, easily broken bones.

This medication can cause bleeding if it has too much effect on your blood. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any signs of serious bleeding, including unusual pain/swelling/discomfort, prolonged bleeding from cuts or gums, persistent nosebleeds, unusually heavy/prolonged menstrual periods, unusual/easy bruising, dark urine, black stools, severe headache, unusual dizziness.

Some patients can have certain bad reactions to heparin (heparin-induced thrombocytopenia-HIT or heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis-HITT). This can occur during treatment and up to several weeks after treatment with heparin has stopped.

Get medical help right away if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: pain/loss of feeling in the arms/legs, change in color of the arms/legs, chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, vision changes.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

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

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before using heparin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to pork products; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

This medication should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: very low platelet count (thrombocytopenia), uncontrollable bleeding.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: severe high blood pressure (hypertension), heart problems (e.g., infection of the heart, heart attack), recent surgery/procedure, cancer, bleeding/clotting disorders (e.g., hemophilia, antithrombin III deficiency), stomach/intestinal ulcers or tube drainage, liver disease, kidney disease, current/recent bleeding (e.g., from wounds, menstrual period).

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are using this medication.

This medication contains sodium. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are on a salt-restricted diet or if you have a condition that could be worsened by an increase in salt intake (e.g., congestive heart failure).

Adults over 60 years of age, especially women, may be at greater risk for bleeding while using this drug.

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

This medication does not pass into breast milk. However, consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), antithrombin III, digoxin, mifepristone, nicotine (e.g., patch, gum), nitroglycerin given by injection, other drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (e.g., anticoagulants such as warfarin, antiplatelet drugs including NSAIDs such as ketorolac), tetracyclines.

Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully because many contain pain relievers/fever reducers (NSAIDs such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin) that can increase the risk of bleeding when used with heparin. Low-dose aspirin should be continued if it has been prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams per day). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Do not mix or infuse heparin together in the same line or catheter with doxorubicin, droperidol, ciprofloxacin, or mitoxantrone.

Cigarette smoking decreases blood levels of this medication. Tell your doctor if you smoke or if you have recently stopped smoking.

This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including certain liver function tests, prothrombin time), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.

If overdose is suspected, contact a poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: easy/unusual bruising, bleeding such as persistent nosebleeds, blood in urine, black stools.

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., hematocrit, complete blood count, platelet counts, activated partial thromboplastin time, test for blood in stool) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

For the best possible benefit, it is important to receive each scheduled dose of this medication as directed. If you miss a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately to establish a new dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Consult the product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

MEDICAL ALERT: Your condition can cause complications in a medical emergency. For information about enrolling in MedicAlert, call 1-888-633-4298 (US) or 1-800-668-1507 (Canada).

Information last revised March 2013. Copyright(c) 2013 First Databank, Inc.