Vaxcel Heparin Sodium Dosage/Direction for Use

Intravenous administration: 5,000-10,000 i.u. every four hours either by bolus injection or continuous infusion in Sodium Chloride Injection or Dextrose Injection. However, the dose should be monitored with coagulation tests performed just before each administration and varied according to individual response.
The clotting time should be 2-3 times the control value.
Subcutaneous administration (Therapeutic dosage): Subcutaneous administration of 10,000 i.u. may be given every 8 hours after an initial intravenous bolus injection of 5,000 i.u.
Low-dose heparin prophylaxis: 5,000 i.u. should be given two to six hours pre-operatively and every 8-12 hours post-operatively for 10-14 days, or until the patient is mobile, whichever is the longer. Haemodialysis: The dosage must be determined individually, depending on the patients coagulations status and the type of apparatus used.
Myocardial infarction: 5,000 i.u. s.c. every twelve hours beginning during the twelve hours following the first sign of myocardial infarction.
Open heart surgery: Operations of less than two hours, 120 i.u./kg/hour. For operations of longer duration, one and a half times this dose should be given. For each 450ml of blood used 2,000 i.u. are needed.
Treatment periods vary from 10-14 days in perioperative prophylaxis to as much as six week in the treatment or established thrombosis.
It is anticipated that heparin will have disappeared from the blood stream 4 hours after intravenous injection of 5,000 i.u. and 6-8 hours after 10,000 i.u. and 15,000 i.u. of i.v. heparin, respectively.
The intramuscular route cannot be recommended because of high incidence of haematoma. The increase in clotting time provided by heparin becomes apparent immediately after administration and last for 4 to 6 hour after intravenous injection and for about eight hours after subcutaneous injection. Heparin without preservatives should be used in premature infants.
Dosage in the elderly: Elderly women have a greater tendency to bleed and it may be necessary to reduce the dose according to coagulant tests, but dosage alterations are unlikely for prophylaxis.
Route of Administration: Administered by subcutaneous or intravenous injection or by intravenous infusion after dilution with a suitable vehicle solution.