Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Rapid Point-of-Care Assay of Enoxaparin Anticoagulant Efficacy in Whole Blood
11:17

Rapid Point-of-Care Assay of Enoxaparin Anticoagulant Efficacy in Whole Blood

Published on: October 12, 2012

Preventing substitution errors involving high-concentration heparin products

Christine Koczmara1, Roger Cheng, Sylvia Hyland

  • 1Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada.

Dynamics (Pembroke, Ont.)
|April 18, 2008
PubMed

Critical care practitioners routinely administer heparin for various indications (e.g., treatment of acute coronary syndrome, venous thromboembolism prophylaxis, line maintenance) and by various routes (e.g., intravenously, subcutaneously). Knowledge of reported incidents involving high-concentration heparin products can increase practitioner awareness of risks for error-induced injury associated with storage and administration of anticoagulants, such as heparin. Substitution errors leading to administration of an incorrect dose of unfractionated heparin are highlighted and suggestions for system-based error prevention strategies are provided.

More Related Videos

Polyelectrolyte Complex for Heparin Binding Domain Osteogenic Growth Factor Delivery12:27

Polyelectrolyte Complex for Heparin Binding Domain Osteogenic Growth Factor Delivery

Published on: August 22, 2016

Isolation of Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors Through a Single-Step and Semi-Automated Heparin Affinity Chromatography Protocol09:12

Isolation of Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors Through a Single-Step and Semi-Automated Heparin Affinity Chromatography Protocol

Published on: April 5, 2024

Related Concept Videos

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins01:30

Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins

Hemostasis is a crucial process that prevents excessive blood loss from damaged blood vessels. It involves various mechanisms such as vasoconstriction, platelet adhesion and activation, and fibrin formation. The importance of each mechanism depends on the type of vessel injury. In contrast, thrombosis is the abnormal formation of a blood clot within the blood vessels, leading to potential complications if the clot obstructs blood flow. Thrombosis can be caused by increased coagulability of the...
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Excipients and Impurities-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence01:19

Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Excipients and Impurities-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence

Pharmaceutical products contain more than just the active drug; they also contain various excipients such as binders, solubilizers, stabilizers, preservatives, and other elements. In some cases, impurities or contaminants might be present. Traditionally, quality control in pharmaceuticals has primarily focused on the analysis of the active drug, often overlooking the impact of these additional components. The recent issue with heparin contamination by over-sulfated chondroitin sulfate, a...
Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios01:26

Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios

Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care01:29

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence01:22

Pharmaceutical Alternatives: Stability-Related Therapeutic Nonequivalence

Generic intravenous (IV) drugs are considered bioequivalent to their branded counterparts due to their 100% bioavailability upon administration. However, variations in stability among different drug products can significantly influence their therapeutic performance, even if they are pharmaceutically equivalent.Cefuroxime, a prophylactic antimicrobial, is often used as a single-dose IV injection for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. A 3 g dose typically provides...
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants01:18

Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants

Oral anticoagulants are vital tools in preventing and treating blood clotting disorders. This diverse class of medications can be categorized as vitamin K antagonists, exemplified by warfarin, and direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs), such as dabigatran, as well as factor Xa inhibitors, including rivaroxaban.
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...