Heparin (unfractionated)

Category: pharmacological

Aliases: UFH

Pharmacological Mechanism

Sulfated glycosaminoglycan polymer — binds antithrombin → ~1000× acceleration of antithrombin's inhibition of thrombin (factor IIa) and factor Xa. Heparin chain length governs the IIa/Xa ratio. IV/SC; aPTT-monitored. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a feared complication.

Half-Life (t½)

IV: 1.5h

Dosing Guidelines

• IV: Typical 18000 IU (Range: 5000–35000 IU)

Target Organ Systems

• immune-hematologic

Pathways It Modulates

• Coagulation cascade (inhibitor) — antithrombin amplification (IIa + Xa inhibition)

Chemical Identifiers

• PubChem CID: 107275093
• Formula: C10H10BrN3
• Molecular weight: 252.11 g/mol
• InChIKey: SUCTXLUAHUVMQP-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES: C1=CC(=C(C=C1N2C=CN=C2)Br)CN