Tag Archives: heparin dose

Introduction Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is a naturally occurring anticoagulant released from mast cells.1 It works by reversibly binding to antithrombin III (AT III) and accelerating the rate at which AT III inactivates the coagulation enzymes thrombin (factor IIa) and factor Xa. Since its discovery in 1916,2 UFH has been the most widely used anticoagulant for procedural or therapeutic indications.3 Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) inevitably causes vessel wall injury, which leads to activation of platelets and a localised vascular inflammatory reaction, which is prothrombotic and associated with an increased risk of acute or subacu