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I haven't noticed that here or at work. Interesting. Why would someone think there was heparin in a tube?
A lot of tubes have heparin in them to prevent clotting (green and grey are two example). Just not the light blue tube.
http://www.bd.com/vacutainer/pdfs/plus_plastic_tubes_wallchart_tubeguide_VS5229.pdf
I have heard people say they contain heparin, and now that you mention it I definitely remember seeing "Sodium Citrate" not "Heparin" on the label. It could just be a word-association. People know there is an anticoagulant, and it is drawn routinely for heparin drips, so they just jump to the conclusion that there must be heparin in the tube.
I have heard people say they contain heparin, and now that you mention it I definitely remember seeing "Sodium Citrate" not "Heparin" on the label. It could just be a word-association. People know there is an anticoagulant, and it is drawn routinely for heparin drips, so they just jump to the conclusion that there must be heparin in the tube.
Wouldn't (or shouldn't) common sense tell these people that a tube used for heparin levels cannot contain heparin because it would be impossible to get an accurate level if you're adding heparin to the sample from the tube?
psu_213, BSN, RN
3,878 Posts
Ok, this is turning into a pet peeve of mine. Has anyone else noticed that everyone says that the light blue top tubes (for coags) contains heparin? For example, when the lab calls and says the blue tube is clotted, someone immediately says "how can that be with heparin in the tube?" According to the tubes and the website of the company that makes the tubes, the blue tubes contain "buffered sodium citrate," and this citrate prevents clotting. While it is true, they a properly inverted tube should not clot, there is no heparin in the tube (at least until the blood is added
).