U.S. Unfractionated Heparin; Preferred Medication for Patients at High Risk of Bleeding Complications

U.S. unfractionated heparin is a medication used in the treatment of heart attacks and unstable angina. It is given by injection into a vein or under the skin. It is a fast-acting blood thinner that works together with antithrombin, a natural protein, to block clot formation. Unfractionated heparin as a pharmaceutical is heparin that has not been fractionated to sequester the fraction of molecules with low molecular weight. On the other hand, low-molecular-weight heparin has undergone fractionation for the purpose of making its pharmacodynamics more predictable.

U.S. unfractionated heparin is administered through an intravenous (IV) catheter inserted into a vein or as a subcutaneous injection under the skin. Moreover, it is majorly used in venous thromboembolism (VTE), pulmonary embolism (PE), and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in patients with increased postoperative complications. Furthermore, because of its reversible anticoagulant effect and its low activity and reversibility, U.S. unfractionated heparin is the preferred treatment for patients at high risk of bleeding complications.

U.S. unfractionated heparin is also effective in reducing blood clotting in patients who have undergone heparin-induced thrombectomy. It is therefore an ideal anti-coagulant for treating many types of external hemorrhaging and coagulation including varicose veins, spider veins, and herniated or chronically inflamed blood vessels. It has also been shown to reduce the blood pressure in patients with mild heart failure, by inhibiting the activity of a hormone known as adrenaline. The role of heparin in the treatment of coronary artery disease remains unclear.

With the increasing prevalence of thromboembolic disorders, such as pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis, the demand for unfractionated heparin is also increasing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the precise number of people affected by DVT/PE is unknown, although as many as 900,000 people could be affected each year in the United States. Estimates suggest that 60,000 to 100,000 Americans die of DVT/PE.