Anticoagulants Flashcards
Extracted from porcine (PIG) intestine (the majority) or bovine (COW) lungs where heparin is stored in
mast cells
**Anticoagulant effects are produced by binding to
anti-thrombin (AT)
[previously known as anti-thrombin III].
AT is a circulating
serine protease
**Heparin binds to AT enhancing the rate of thrombin-AT complex formation by
1,000 to 10,000 times
**Factors that are inhibited by AT:
Xa, IX, XI, XII
anticoagulation depends on the presence of adequate amounts of circulating
AT
Heparin potency is based on in vitro comparison with a
known standard
a unit of heparin is defined as the vol of heparin-containing solution that will prevent 1ml of….
- 1ml of citrated sheeps blood
- from clotting for 1 hour
- after the addition of 0.2ml of 1:100 calcium chloride
Heaprin 1ml with 0.2ml caCl (1:100) will not clot in citrated sheep blood for:
1 hour
In the US, heparin must contain at least 120 (USP) units per milliliter. this equates to
120units/mL
**Precise pathway of heparin elimination is
uncertain
the influence of renal and hepatic dx on heparin is
less than other anticoagulants
Heparin is used for multiple purposes:
- Prevention and tx of venous thrombosis
- Prevention and tx of pulmonary embolism
- Acute coronary syndromes
- Perioperative anticoagulation for extracorporeal circulation and hemodialysis (bypass)
Onset of action for heparin is
immediate
Labs used to monitor heparin.
NORMAL ranges:
Established Therapeutic Levels:
WNL: aPTT: 30-35 seconds
Therapeutic: 45 - 87.5 seconds
aPTT is used to monitor heparin and maintain a ration of
1.5 to 2.5 times normal values for aPTT
Prolonged aPTT > 120 secs can be shortend by
omitting a dose.
-this is b/c heparin has a brief elim. half time
Generally low dose heparin may not require monitoring. This is because the doses and schedule are
well known
Some hospitals will monitor low dose heparin using an anti-Xa assay in place of aPTT because of the
potential variability of low dose and high dose regimens of heparin
ACT - Activated clotting time is used for higher heparin concentrations such as those used in
CABG
ACT is performed by mixing whole blood with an activating substance w/LARGE SURFACE such as (2)
“Activators”
- Celite
- Kaolin
activators
ACT acts on which pathway?
What Factor initiates activation of the clotting cascade?
activation through the classic INTRINSIC Pathway
Factor XII initiates activation of the clotting cascade
Activator (celite and kaolin) speeds up teh clotting time to normal values of aprox.
100-150 secs (1.5-2.5 mins)
depending on device used
*to measure the ACT and are based on detecting the onset of clot formation
ACT results between devices may be interchangeable? True/False
FALSE
results b/w devices may not be interchangeable
ACT is reliable for
high heparin concentrations >1.0 unit/ml
ACT May be influenced by: (4)
- Hypothermia
- Thrombocytopenia (low platelets increase clotting time)
- Presence of contact activation inhibitors (aprotinin)
- Preexisting coagulation deficiencies (fibrinogen, factor XII, factor VII)
In Aprotinin Therapy: it is recommended to use which activator-ACT? why?
kAolin-ACT rather than celite-ACT
as kaolin binds to aprotinin to minimize its effect.
• For cardiac surgery, a baseline ACT is determined:
Before IV administration of heparin
3- minutes after administration
At 30 minutes intervals thereafter
**Target ACT in CABG surgeries is controversial but ranges between
350 – 400 seconds
ACT values may be misleading during CABG d/t heparin induced anticoagulation b/c of the effects of what two elements on the measurement system?
Hypothermia
Hemodilution
Allergic reaction to heparin are rare. If an IMMEDIATE reaction is noted….
HIT should be suspected
Reversal for HIT:
Protamine
Protamine is found in
salmon sperm
- strong alkaline
- polycationic (positive)
- low molecular weight protein
- found in salmon sperm
These are true of what medication:
Protamine
Protamine is positively charged alkaline that combines with the negatively charged acidic heparin to form a stable complex that is .
devoid of anticoagulant activity
*This complex is removed by the reticuloendothelial system within 20 minutes.
**Protamine Dose:
1mg for every 100 units of circulating heparin
*Example: 1000units of heparin given 1 hour ago. Currently 500 units circulating. Protamine dose (1mg x 5) = 5mg
Half life of Heparin
approx. 1 hour
* this is considered for protamine dosing
Two commonly administered LMWH
- enoxaparin
2. dalteparin
- Heparin has an anti-Xa to an anti-IIa activity of 1:1
- Enoxaparin has a corresponding ration varying between 4:1 and 2:1
-Pharmacokinetics of enoxaparin and dalteparin between patients are more consistent than heparin because they
bind less to proteins than does heparin.
VTE is thought to be better treated with LMWH than heparin in these patients:
-high risk medical and surgical patients
LMWH is greatly prolonged in
renal failure
with kidney failure, what should be used as an antigoagulant?
UFH
In pts with normal renal function, surgery should be delayed how long after the last dose of LMWH?
With renal dysfunction?
12 hours
renal = > 12 hours