Incidence of Bleeding Complications in Patients on Intermittent IV Heparin Therapy

Abstract

The incidence of bleeding from heparin therapy in patients with diagnosed pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis was evaluated in a university hospital. Major or minor bleeding episodes occurred in 32 percent of patients and of these 50 percent were major episodes requiring cessation of therapy and blood transfusion. Activated clotting times were not excessively prolonged during bleeding episodes nor was there any apparent association with the age or sex of the patient. It is felt that bleeding secondary to intermittent intravenous heparin therapy may be the result of the high degree of clotting inhibition from 15 minutes to 2 hours after injection. It is suggested that continuous intravenous infusion of heparin is as effective as intermittent heparin injections and yet appears to produce a lower incidence of both major and minor bleeding episodes.