title: Adverse effects of three different forms of heparin therapy: thrombocytopenia, increased transaminases, and hyperkalaemia.
abstract: A prospective study has been made of the incidence of changes in transaminase levels, hyperkalaemia and thrombocytopenia in three groups of patients: 89 consecutive patients with venous thrombosis receiving therapeutic heparinization, 49 patients admitted because of hip fracture and receiving prophylactic low-dose conventional heparin, and 43 patients admitted because of hip fracture and randomly allocated to receive low molecular weight heparin. Laboratory measurements were made on admission and 8 days after commencing heparin. Only two patients on high-dose heparin developed thrombocytopenia. Increased transaminases were frequent with conventional heparin (18% and 32% of patients on high-dose heparin developed abnormal AsT and AlT values, respectively compared with 14% and 17% patients on low dose therapy). In contrast, only one patient on low molecular weight heparin developed abnormal AlT activity. Hyperkalaemia was uncommon in patients on any form of heparin therapy, and severe hyperkalaemia occurred in only one patient.
authors.affiliation: Hospital de Badalona Germans trias i Pujol, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monreal
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lafoz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salvador
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roncales
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Navarro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006620:Hip Fractures; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D006493:Heparin; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase