Heparin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands
Heparin is an anti-coagulant sold in the U.S. under 14 brand and generic names, for unstable angina, cerebral infarction and coronary thrombosis. Below: what the FDA label says, every product that contains it, what the pills look like, and its recall record.
Key facts
- Drug class
- Anti-Coagulant
- Treats (across its forms)
- Unstable Angina, Cerebral Infarction and Coronary Thrombosis
- Available as
- Injectable · Solution
- Sold as
- 14 products — Calciparine, Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container and Heparin Sodium 2,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container, and others
- Prescription?
- Prescription only
- Generic available?
- Yes
- What the pharmacy pays
- about $2 per ml — not your price
How Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container is dosed
From the FDA label for Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container (application ANDA212441). Other heparin products — different forms, different strengths — are dosed differently. Follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Infuse through intravenous catheter at a rate of 6 units per hour. ( 2.2 ) 2.1 Preparation for Administration Do not administer unless solution is clear and seal is intact. Parenteral drug products should be inspected visually for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. Warning: Do not use plastic containers in series connection. Such use could result in air embolism due to residual air being drawn from the primary container before administration of the fluid from the secondary container is completed. Do not use Heparin Sodium in Sodium Chloride Injection as a “catheter lock flush” product. Do not admix with other drugs. Discard unused portion. INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE for the free flex ® Bag Leave bag in the overwrap until time of use. The intact port cap provides visual tamper evidence. Do not use if port cap is prematurely removed. Maintain strict aseptic technique during handling. To Open: Always inspect the bag before and after removal from the overwrap. Place the bag on a clean, flat surface. Starting in the bottom corner, peel the overwrap open and remove the bag. Check the bag for leaks by squeezing firmly. If leaks are found, discard the bag. Do not use if the solution is cloudy or a precipitate is present. To Prepare for Administration: Immediately before connecting the infusion set, firmly grasp the BLUE…
Everything below is the FDA label for Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container (injectable). Heparin is also sold as solution, and those are different medicines to take — follow the label for the one you were prescribed.
Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container side effects
The following clinically significant adverse reactions are described elsewhere in the labeling: Hemorrhage [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia and Heparin-Induced thrombocytopenia with Thrombosis [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Thrombocytopenia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Heparin Resistance [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] Hypersensitivity [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 )] Increased Risk of Bleeding in Older Patients, Especially Women [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.6 )] Most common adverse reactions are: hemorrhage, thrombocytopenia, HIT and HITT, hypersensitivity, and elevations of aminotransferase levels. ( 6.1 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC at 1-800-551-7176 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch. 6.1 Postmarketing Experience The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of Heparin Sodium. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. Hemorrhage - Hemorrhage is the chief complication that may result from heparin therapy [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] . An overly prolonged clotting time or minor bleeding during therapy can usually be controlled by withdrawing the…
Who shouldn’t take Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container
The use of HEPARIN SODIUM IN SODIUM CHLORIDE is contraindicated in patients with the following conditions: Uncontrollable active bleeding state, except when this is due to disseminated intravascular coagulation [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.1 )] History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis (HITT) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 )] Severe thrombocytopenia [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.3 )] Known hypersensitivity to heparin or pork products (e.g., anaphylactoid reactions) [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.5 ), Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] Heparin Sodium in Sodium Chloride Injection is contraindicated in patients with the following conditions: ( 4 ) Uncontrollable active bleeding state, except when this is due to disseminated intravascular coagulation ( 5.1 ) History of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) and heparin induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis ( 5.2 ) Severe thrombocytopenia ( 5.3 ) Known hypersensitivity to heparin or pork products ( 5.5 , 6.1 )
Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container drug interactions
Drugs that interfere with platelet aggregation or drugs that counteract coagulation may induce bleeding. ( 7 ) 7.1 Oral Anticoagulants Heparin sodium may prolong the one-stage prothrombin time. Therefore, when heparin sodium is given with dicumarol or warfarin sodium, a period of at least 5 hours after the last intravenous dose or 24 hours after the last subcutaneous dose should elapse before blood is drawn if a valid prothrombin time is to be obtained. 7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIv/IIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifobatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium. To reduce the risk of bleeding, a reduction in the dose of the antiplatelet agent or heparin is recommended. 7.3 Other Medications that May Interfere with Heparin Digitalis, tetracyclines, nicotine or antihistamines may partially counteract the anticoagulant action of heparin sodium. Intravenous nitroglycerin administered to heparinized patients may result in a decrease of the partial thromboplastin time with subsequent rebound effect upon discontinuation of nitroglycerin. Careful monitoring of partial thromboplastin time and adjustment of heparin dosage are recommended during coadministration of heparin and intravenous nitroglycerin. Antithrombin III (human) – The anticoagulant effect of heparin is enhanced by concurrent treatment with antithrombin III (human) in patients with hereditary antithrombin III deficiency. To reduce the risk of bleeding, a reduced dosage of heparin is recommended during treatment with antithrombin III (human).
Every heparin product we track (14)
Same active ingredient — different manufacturer, form, price and FDA recall record. That last one is what our independent score measures.
| # | Drug | Rating | Type | Form | Generic? | Pharmacy pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 70/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 2 | 68/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 3 | 68/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 4 | 60/100 | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 5 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 6 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 7 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 8 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 9 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → | |
| 10 | Not yet rated | Prescription | Injectable | Generic | $2 | View → |
Combination products containing heparin
A combination is a different drug — different dosing, different warnings. It is listed here so you can find it, not so you can substitute it.
Heparin recalls
From the FDA Enforcement database. A recall covers specific lots — not the drug as a whole.
How long heparin keeps
No heparin label we read sets a separate limit for after opening, but they do specify how it must be stored — and the stability behind any date assumes those conditions.
Does heparin expire? The in-use limits and storage rules from its labelsHeparin and breastfeeding
From LactMed, the US National Library of Medicine’s Drugs and Lactation Database — quoted, not rewritten.
Full LactMed record for heparin: levels in milk, effects in breastfed infants, and the drugs it would consider insteadAlthough heparin itself has not been studied, low molecular weight heparins (e.g., dalteparin, enoxaparin) are not excreted into breastmilk in clinically relevant amounts. Because heparin has an even higher molecular weight of 3000 to 30,000 daltons, it would not be expected to be appreciably excreted into breastmilk or absorbed by the infant. No special precautions are required.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, record revised June 15, 2024. LactMed states its information is not a substitute for professional judgement.
What people report to the FDA about heparin
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) collects reports from patients and clinicians. It holds 20,010 reports naming heparin, and the FDA flagged 75% of those reports as serious. The effects reported most often — leaving out reports about overdose, misuse or the condition being treated, which dominate the raw list for common medicines:
- heparin-induced thrombocytopenia1,810 reports
- adverse event1,499 reports
- nausea1,322 reports
- hypotension1,232 reports
- vomiting1,087 reports
- dyspnoea1,026 reports
- abdominal pain803 reports
- sepsis788 reports
Read these as a signal, not a rate. A report does not mean heparin caused the effect — anyone can file one, and many describe people taking several medicines for several conditions. Crucially there is no denominator: FAERS does not record how many people took the drug, so these counts cannot be turned into “X% of patients” — a bigger number often just means a more widely used or more talked-about drug. Duplicates exist, and publicity drives reporting. For what is actually established, read the FDA label section above.
Source: openFDA drug/event (FAERS), retrieved August 25, 2026.
Related calculators
Frequently asked questions
What is Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container?
Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container (Heparin Sodium) is an anti-coagulant used to treat Unstable Angina, Cerebral Infarction, Coronary Thrombosis, Myocardial Infarction.
What kind of drug is heparin?
The FDA classifies heparin as an anti-coagulant. If you are checking whether it is safe to combine with something else, the class is what matters — two drugs from the same class usually should not be stacked.
Can you take heparin with other medicines?
It depends on the medicine. We check it against the FDA labels rather than guessing: our interaction checker searches each drug's own label for the other and quotes what it says, naming the section it came from. Run heparin against whatever else you take — and remember that a label not naming a drug is not the same as that combination being safe.
What brand names is heparin sold under?
We track 14 heparin-containing products in the U.S.: Calciparine, Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container, Heparin Sodium 2,000 Units in Sodium Chloride 0.9% in Plastic Container, Panheprin, Heparin Lock Flush, Heparin Sodium, Heparin Sodium 1,000 Units in Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container and Heparin Sodium 2,000 Units in Dextrose 5% in Plastic Container, and 6 more. They are the same active ingredient; they differ in form, manufacturer, price and FDA recall record.
What forms does heparin come in?
Across the brands we track, heparin is currently marketed as injectable and solution, per the FDA's National Drug Code Directory. Each form is dosed differently — follow the label for the exact product you were prescribed.
Is there a generic heparin?
Yes. Our catalog lists 4 generic heparin products alongside the brand versions. A generic has the same active ingredient and must meet the FDA's bioequivalence standard; it usually costs less. Ask your pharmacist which one your plan covers.
Has heparin been recalled?
The FDA's Enforcement database lists 1 recall record whose product description mentions heparin. The most recent: Heparin (Heparin Sodium in 0.9% Sodium Chloride Injection) (Aug 1, 2024). A recall applies to specific lots, not to the drug as a whole — check the record for the affected lot numbers.
Cite this page
- APA
- pharmaranks. (2026, July 24). Heparin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands. https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/heparin
- MLA
- “Heparin: uses, dosing, side effects & brands.” pharmaranks, 24 July 2026, https://pharmaranks.com/drugs/heparin.
We summarise public FDA and NIH sources — for a clinical claim, cite the primary source we link to as well.
Sources: FDA openFDA drug label, National Drug Code Directory, and Enforcement (recall) database. This page reproduces public FDA data and is not medical advice. Dosing is set by your prescriber.
Read the full FDA label for heparin on DailyMed (NIH) ↗.