Highlights from Circulation: Journal of American Heart Association, June 19, 2001

American Heart Association updates heparin statement Low molecular weight formulations of the anticoagulant drug heparin have ushered in a new era for treating blood clots that may allow heart patients to go home sooner.

This development is reflected in “Guide to Anticoagulant Therapy: Heparin, A Statement for Healthcare Professionals,” developed by the American Heart Association. The statement, published in today’s Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association, updates the 1994 statement on heparin use.

Heparin, which interferes with the clotting of blood, is used to treat clot formations that lodge in narrowed vessels and block circulation. This occurrence – venous thromboembolism – is responsible for an estimated 300,000 hospitalizations a year.

The new statement encourages the use of the low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in individuals with acute coronary syndromes such as unstable angina. LMWH can be administered via subcutaneous injection compared to the standard form of heparin that is given intravenously.

Therefore, LMWH can be self-administered at home and patients could be released from the hospital sooner. The statement also notes that when combined with aspirin or clot-busting agents, heparin in full doses increases the risk of bleeding and may need to be reduced in these settings.

Valentin Fuster, M.D., Ph.D., Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, 212-241-7911, e-mail: valentin.fuster@mssm.edu. (Please do not publish contact information.)

NR01-1303 (Circ/June 19 Highlights)