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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
Summary
High-concentration heparin products pose risks during storage and administration. Awareness of substitution errors with unfractionated heparin can improve patient safety through system-based prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Critical Care Medicine
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Heparin is widely used in critical care for anticoagulation, prophylaxis, and line maintenance.
- Various administration routes and indications exist for heparin.
- High-concentration heparin products present unique risks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To raise awareness of potential errors with high-concentration heparin.
- To highlight substitution errors involving unfractionated heparin.
- To propose system-based strategies for error prevention.
Main Methods:
- Review of reported incidents involving high-concentration heparin.
- Analysis of substitution errors leading to incorrect unfractionated heparin dosing.
- Development of recommendations for error mitigation.
Main Results:
- Substitution errors with high-concentration heparin can lead to significant patient harm.
- Specific examples of dosing errors are identified.
- System vulnerabilities in storage and administration are implicated.
Conclusions:
- Enhanced practitioner awareness of heparin risks is crucial.
- System-based interventions are necessary to prevent heparin administration errors.
- Improving the safe use of anticoagulants like heparin is a priority in critical care.
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