FDA Issues Heparin Warning

Rick Patterson

Attorney

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning regarding heparin. At this time, Baxter Healthcare Corporation has stopped manufacturing multiple-dose vials of the blood-thinning drug. And not a moment too soon. In addition to the well-published reports of hospital staff mixing up the look-alike viles of heparin with disastrous results, there have also been reports of serious allergic relations and hypotension (low blood pressure) in patients who have received high doses of the drug. Four people have died using Heparin, but the connection is not yet clear.

The FDA is investigating to find the cause of these reactions to the drug. Heparin is commonly used before certain types of surgery, including coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and in kidney patients before they undergo dialysis. Approximately 350 case of adverse reactions of users of the drug have been reported since the end of last year, which is a dramatic increase.

Any allergic-type reaction to heparin infusion should be reported to FDA's MedWatch. For details on reporting see the full article.

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