Heparin injection

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while having treatment with this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

There may be an increased anti-blood-clotting effect, which can result in an increased risk of bleeding or increased time taken to stop bleeding, if any of the following medicines are used in combination with heparin:

antiplatelet ('blood-thinning') medicines, such as aspirin, dipyridamole, clopidogrel

clot-busting medicines (fibrinolytics) such as streptokinase, alteplase

dextrans

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as diclofenac, ibuprofen, naproxen

oral anticoagulants, such as warfarin, nicoumalone, phenindione.

If you are given any of these your doctor or pharmacist will adjust the doses of your medicines so that the appropriate effect on your blood clotting time is achieved.

There may an increased risk of a rise in the amount of potassium in your blood if heparin is used in combination with the following medicines, which can also raise blood potassium:

ACE inhibitors, eg enalapril, captopril

angiotensin II receptor antagonists, eg losartan, valsartan

potassium-sparing diuretics, eg triamterene, spironolactone, amiloride

potassium supplements

potassium salts.

The amount of potassium in your blood should be regularly monitored if you are taking any of these while being treated with heparin.

The anticoagulant effect of heparin may be reduced by drips (intravenous infusions) of nitrate medicines such as glyceryl trinitrate.

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