Using Intravenous Heparin Versus Standard of Care Subcutaneous Heparin to Prevent Clots After Surgery

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2014-05-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

This study plans to learn more about what is the best treatment to prevent blood clots in patients in intensive care units (ICU's). The investigators know that patients who are in ICU's have a higher than normal risk of getting blood clots in the veins of their arms or legs. This can be very dangerous as the clot may move into the lungs. To prevent this, the standard treatment is to give low dose heparin subcutaneously 3 times a day (usually 5000 units at each dose). In this study the investigators are randomizing patients to receive either standard of care or low dose intravenous heparin in a continuous infusion.

• Phase: N/A
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver
• Treatments: Calcium heparin; Heparin

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• A signed informed consent;

• Age between 18 and 80 years

• The patient is admitted to the surgical intensive care unit at the University of Colorado Hospital

Exclusion Criteria:

• Predicated SICU stay less than 5 days;

• Pregnancy;

• Breast feeding;

• Initial platelet count < 30,000;

• Currently eligible for treatment of thromboembolism;

• Prior organ transplant;

• Cardiopulmonary bypass within previous 30 days;

• Advanced directive precluding participation;

• Already receiving pharmacologic agent for DVT prophylaxis;

• Prior diagnosis of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia;

• Heparin allergy