Achieving Target Antifactor Xa Activity with a Heparin Protocol Based on Sex, Age, Height, and Weight

Study Objectives. To develop and validate an improved unfractionated heparin (UFH) dosage protocol, using antifactor Xa levels as the outcome variable. Design. Prospective case series. Setting. A 625‐bed, adults‐only, private, tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients. Three hundred seventy‐two pati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pharmacotherapy 2004-06, Vol.24 (6), p.713-719
Main Authors: Rosborough, Terry K., Shepherd, Michele F.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anticoagulants - administration & dosage
Anticoagulants - blood
antifactor Xa activity
Body Height
Body Weight
Clinical Protocols
dosage protocol
Drug Monitoring - methods
Drug Monitoring - standards
Factor Xa Inhibitors
Female
Heparin - administration & dosage
Heparin - blood
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Partial Thromboplastin Time
Prospective Studies
Sex Factors
unfractionated heparin
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Study Objectives. To develop and validate an improved unfractionated heparin (UFH) dosage protocol, using antifactor Xa levels as the outcome variable. Design. Prospective case series. Setting. A 625‐bed, adults‐only, private, tertiary care teaching hospital. Patients. Three hundred seventy‐two patients receiving UFH for eight different indications were in the protocol derivation group. One hundred ninety‐seven patients were in the final validation group. Intervention. Variables that predicted successful UFH treatment were determined by analysis of variance and regression. Measurements and Main Results. Sex, age, height, weight, UFH dosage, and antifactor Xa levels were variables. A regression model using sex, age, height, and weight was superior to a weight‐only model in predicting UFH dosage. Target‐range antifactor Xa levels were achieved with the new protocol in 122 (87%) of 140 patients within 24 hours of start of therapy. Conclusion. A UFH dosage protocol based on patient sex, age, height, and weight produced improved initial target antifactor Xa levels compared with a weight‐based protocol. The protocol is computerized and easy to apply.
ISSN:0277-0008
1875-9114
DOI:10.1592/phco.24.8.713.36067