defining words

Heparin is a "high warning" drug. Make sure you read up on the drug, what it is used for, how it is used. There is usually a protocol in place when used. Once you understand the drug usage, then you can think about special concerns--which would include precautions. Look at the dosing carefully, and how a nurse gets to the correct dose.

And you can pass it by your professor to be sure that you are on the right track.

Best wishes!

Welcome!

The thread was moved for best response. Does the book list special concerns and precautions separately? What special concerns does it list?

List what the book has and maybe I can help

Thank you Esme 12. You are so helpful! So, to begin with we were not taught how to do med cards. (Yikes!) So with that being said, my instructor indicated that we do med cards for the drugs given.. such as Heparin, but what confuses me is how to identify 'special concerns'... which it could be that I have no knowledge how to go about making med cards. My Drug Guide book indicates the following for heparin:

Contraindication/Precaution:

Contraindicated in: Hypersensitivity; Uncontrolled bleeding; Severe thrombocytopenia; Open wounds( full dose); Avoid use of products containing benzyl alcohol in premature infants.

Use Cautiously in: Severe liver or kidney disease; Retinopathy (hypersensitive or diabetic); untreated hypertension; Ulcer disease; Spinal cord or brain injury; History of congenital or acquired bleeding disorder; Maglignancy; OB: may be used during pregnancy, but use with caution during last trimester and in postpartum period; Geri: Women >60 yr have increased risk for bleeding.

Excerise Extreme Caution in: Severe uncontrolled hypertension; Bacterial endocarditis, bleeding disorders; GI bleeding/ulceration/pathology; Hemorrhagic stroke; Recent CNS or ophthalmologic surgery; Active GI bleeding/ulceration; History of thrombocytopenia related to heparin.

So for instance, 'contraindication' was also to be listed on my med card; therefore, I pretty much just wrote the followings after 'Contraindicated in:...' (correct me if I am wrong).

My other question is how do I go about making this med card to fit everything. For example, 'Drug interaction' is to be listed on the med card as well, and the book has so much information. Is there a way how to write out the 'drug interaction' so that I don't have to write out the whole entire thing? Or is there a way to look/write specific wordings?

Any tips to write med card will help! Hope this makes sense. Thanks again!

As for your original question about precautions/special concerns. This is asking what you would want to watch for with this med. Since you have looked up heparin I can assume you know it is an anticoagulant. A very quick acting one. So since an anticoagulant essentially prevents clots or further clotting of a present thrombus, a special concern would be to monitor for bleeding. Decreased h/h, bruising, active bleeding, bloody sputum, etc. For and anti hypertensive, a special concern would of course low BP. For Lasix you would watch for dehydration and low potassium. Stuff like that. The drug card is meant to highlight the drug, not copy the drug book verbatim. This is so you can have at the very least a vague understanding of the drug for testing and for when passing the med to be minimally safe.

As for your original question about precautions/special concerns. This is asking what you would want to watch for with this med. Since you have looked up heparin I can assume you know it is an anticoagulant. A very quick acting one. So since an anticoagulant essentially prevents clots or further clotting of a present thrombus, a special concern would be to monitor for bleeding. Decreased h/h, bruising, active bleeding, bloody sputum, etc. For and anti hypertensive, a special concern would of course low BP. For Lasix you would watch for dehydration and low potassium. Stuff like that. The drug card is meant to highlight the drug, not copy the drug book verbatim. This is so you can have at the very least a vague understanding of the drug for testing and for when passing the med to be minimally safe.

Thanks Mrsboot87. Looks like I am doing my med cards all wrong! Since you have mentioned that med cards are for 'highlighting the drug' ... Would it be ok to write my Drug Interaction like this:

(For heparin)

Drug Interaction: Increase bleeding affecting platelet function, hypoprothrombinemia, and thrombolytics.

Thanks Mrsboot87. Looks like I am doing my med cards all wrong! Since you have mentioned that med cards are for 'highlighting the drug' ... Would it be ok to write my Drug Interaction like this:

(For heparin)

Drug Interaction: Increase bleeding affecting platelet function, hypoprothrombinemia, and thrombolytics.

What you listed are precautions/special concerns and also heparin is not thrombolytic but it can be an indirect thrombolytic when combined with a thrombolytic agent . again Heparin does not dissove clot but it can help when combined with thrombolytic agent

I would write it like this.

Heparin: anticoagulant

Drug Interaction:acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), dextran, phenylbutazone, ibuprofen (NSAIDS), indomethacin, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine and others that interfere with platelet aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium. Other interactions

Digitalis, tetracyclines, nicotine, antihistamines or I.V. nitroglycerin may partially counteract the anticoagulant action of heparin sodium.

We have a member here that has made med cards to share in the FAQ section....Pharmacology Flashcards

Thanks. That really helps. I am still trying to navigate myself in using this site, and so your guidance is always welcomed. Much appreciated.

Also, if this is your first time doing med cards, your clinical instructor (CI) will give you feedback after asking you about the med. The next week you'll do better. :) I tell students all the time if they knew it all already, they wouldn't have to be in school.

Don't read too much into it... "precautions" and "special concerns" are equivalent statements... basically, for this particular drug, of what things should you be mindful?

Looking at heparin, it's an anticoagulant... so what kinds of complications might arise from giving someone an anticoagulant? What kinds of patients might be particularly at risk for those complications? How might the risks be mitigated?