Anticoagulants (heparins & pentasaccharides)
- Parenteral anticoagulants via antithrombin
- UFH: rapid, titratable, fully reversible
- LMWH: predictable; less monitoring
- VTE, ACS, bridging + inpatient anticoagulation
- Bleeding + HIT are major risks
- Renal clearance matters more for LMWH
- Protamine reverses UFH better than LMWH
Class at a glance
- Parenteral anticoagulants via antithrombin
Safety / monitoring
- UFH: rapid, titratable, fully reversible
- LMWH: predictable; less monitoring
- Protamine reverses UFH better than LMWH
Practical pearls
- VTE, ACS, bridging + inpatient anticoagulation
Safety distinctions
- Bleeding + HIT are major risks
- Renal clearance matters more for LMWH
Self-check
- Does protamine reverse UFH or LMWH better?
UFH. - For which does renal clearance matter more: UFH or LMWH?
LMWH.
Drugs in this class (2)
Anticoagulants (heparins & pentasaccharides) prescription history
Animated chart of estimated U.S. prescriptions per year, Antithrombotics (1914–2026). Injectable anticoagulants highlighted from 1939.
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