[Hemostatic system in obstructive lung diseases and its changes in the course of treatment with low heparin doses]

A decrease in antithrombin III activity was noted in exacerbation of chronic obstructive bronchitis and bronchial asthma. It was assessed as a criterion of intravascular activation of the blood coagulation system. The absence of dependence of the clinical effect of heparin on its anticoagulant properties was shown in these diseases. The use of small doses of heparin was shown to result in a rise of antithrombin III activity in the plasma irrespective of an obvious clinical effect of treatment.