Abstract

Heparin is used to prevent clotting and to alter the plasma lipid concentration. Commercial heparin is a mixture of sulphated mucopolysaccharides of molecular weight about 10000 made from mammalian tissues; present preparations contain about 150 anticoagulant units (BP and USP) heparin/mg. The solution is available in four strengths: 1000, 5000, 10000 and 25000 units/ml.