Heparin

What you should know before using

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatrics

Heparin has been tested in children and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Geriatric

Bleeding problems may be more likely to occur in elderly patients, especially women, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of heparin.

Breast Feeding

Studies in women suggest that this medication poses minimal risk to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Abciximab
• Acenocoumarol
• Alprostadil
• Alteplase, Recombinant
• Anisindione
• Anistreplase
• Ardeparin
• Argatroban
• Aspirin
• Bivalirudin
• Cefamandole
• Cefoperazone
• Certoparin
• Cilostazol
• Clopidogrel
• Dalteparin
• Danaparoid
• Defibrotide
• Dermatan Sulfate
• Desirudin
• Dextran
• Dicumarol
• Enoxaparin
• Eptifibatide
• Fondaparinux
• Garlic
• Ginkgo
• Heparin
• Indomethacin
• Lamifiban
• Moxalactam
• Nadroparin
• Papaya
• Parnaparin
• Phenindione
• Phenprocoumon
• Reteplase, Recombinant
• Reviparin
• Sibrafiban
• St John's Wort
• Streptokinase
• Tan-Shen
• Tenecteplase
• Tinzaparin
• Tirofiban
• Urokinase
• Warfarin
• Xemilofiban

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Allergies or asthma (history of)—The risk of an allergic reaction to heparin may be increased.

• Blood disease or bleeding problems or
• Colitis or stomach ulcer (or history of) or
• Diabetes mellitus, severe or
• High blood pressure (hypertension) or
• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease or
• Tuberculosis, active—The risk of bleeding may be increased.

Also, tell your doctor if you have received heparin before and had a reaction to it called thrombocytopenia, or if new blood clots formed while you were receiving the medicine.

In addition, it is important that you tell your doctor if you have recently had any of the following conditions or medical procedures:

• Childbirth or
• Falls or blows to the body or head or
• Heavy or unusual menstrual bleeding or
• Insertion of an intrauterine device (IUD) or
• Medical or dental surgery or
• Spinal anesthesia or
• X-ray (radiation) treatment—The risk of serious bleeding may be increased.