Heparin monitoring - Here to stay!

We celebrate the centennial of the discovery of heparin this year. Even after 100 years, heparin is still one of the most prescribed anticoagulants.  The clinical laboratory plays a central role in the management of patients receiving heparin.  During this webinar, the differences between unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight-heparin (LMWH) will be described as well as the impact these differences may have relative to monitoring. The traditional surrogate marker(s) used as a means of monitoring and measuring efficacy and safety of UFH and LMWH will be detailed and advantages and disadvantages will be identified with a focus upon reference range and limitations of the aPTT, and the benefit of anti-Xa monitoring of UFH and LMWH. Management strategies for appropriate use of anti-Xa heparin level determinations will be discussed.

• Describe the differences between unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins along with the impact of the formulation differences on monitoring tests.
• Describe details and limitations of monitoring tests to measure safety and efficacy of unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins.
• Discuss advantages of the use of the anti-Xa assay to monitor unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins.