title: Low-dose heparin thromboembolism prophylaxis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine a rational approach to heparin dosing for thromboembolism prophylaxis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three commonly used heparin dosing regimens were identified: (1) standard low-dose heparin (5000 U administered subcutaneously 2-3 times per day); (2) adjusted-dose heparin (adequate to elevate the activated partial thromboplastin time to 5 seconds above the upper limit of normal); and (3) low-molecular-weight heparin (30 mg subcutaneously twice daily without monitoring).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adjusted-dose heparin thromboembolism prophylaxis is both the safest and most reliable method currently available.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Medical Center, Sacramento, USA.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Owings
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Blaisdell
mesh_terms: D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D010314:Partial Thromboplastin Time; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D006493:Heparin