Heparin is a highly sulfated glycosaminoglycan widely used as an injectable anticoagulant. It is also used to form an inner anticoagulant surface on various experimental and medical devices such as test tubes and renal dialysis machines. Pharmaceutical grade heparin is commonly derived from the tissue of slaughter house animals e.g. porcine intestine or bovine lung.
History
Heparin is one of the
oldest drugs currently still in widespread clinical use. Its introduction predates the establishment of the United States Food and Drug Administration. It was originally isolated from liver cells, hence its name (hepar or "?pa?" is Greek for "liver"). Scientists were looking for an anticoagulant that could work safely in humans, and Jay McLean, a second-year medical student from Johns Hopkins University working under the guidance of William Henry Howell, found a compound extracted from liver that acted as an anticoagulant.
Medical uses
Heparin acts as an anticoagulant, preventing the formation of clots and extension of existing clots within the blood. While heparin does not break down clots that have already formed, it allows the body's natural clot lysis mechanisms to work normally to break down clots that have already formed. Heparin is used for anticoagulation for the following conditions:
- Acute coronary syndrome, e.g., myocardial infarction
- Atrial fibrillation
- Deep-vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.
