Heparinized vs Nonheparinzed saline in arterial lines

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What are you using in your transudced arterial lines, a Heparized solultion, if so what is your concentration OR nonheparinized saline?

NS here

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Specializes in PICU, surgical post-op.

We might just be the only ones using heparin!

Our art-lines and CVPs from our central lines get 3ml/hour of heparinized saline. We use a 0.5unit/ml concentration. The NICU-sized cardiac kiddos get heparnized saline as well but at a lower rate ... 1.5/hour, I believe. We mix our own bags for the big kids and pharmacy mixes our syringes for the little ones.

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Yes. I agree ns is much safer, and thats all I have used.

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Specializes in Neuro, Critical Care.
I advocate for switching to saline everywhere. It's personal with me. In January of last year, I developed HIT (heparin induced thrombocyotepenia).

Because of the HIT, I STILL have a DVT that extends from mid-left subclavian backward and up the jugular and downward half-way down my axillary vein on the left.

Also, I developed 3 subdural bleeds because of the thrombocytopenia and anticoagulation.

All in all a heck of a lot to go through - just because I had a reaction to heparin flushes.

We use hep. too....we dont have a continuous drip or anything, ours are set up in a pressure bag, so the only time the pt gets the hep. is when we flush...its mixed w/ns not positive of the concentration though.

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Specializes in MICU.

Our policy states we use heparin. IF pt has a reason, we have docs write an order to use NS.

I sent my ICH lady to OR a few weeks ago to get a VP shunt. OR sent her back with a heparin flush attached to her new a line. Thanks for the A-line, but what part of ICH (H as in H-E-M-O-R-R-H-A-G-E) did they not get? We quickly changed the heparin to NS.

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Specializes in SICU, EMS, Home Health, School Nursing.
We use hep. too....we dont have a continuous drip or anything, ours are set up in a pressure bag, so the only time the pt gets the hep. is when we flush...its mixed w/ns not positive of the concentration though.

Same here.

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Specializes in CVICU-ICU.

Just saline here also because of the increasing HIT population.

Christie and ELKNMin06---even though you dont have the pressure bags hooked up to a pump they are still getting 3cc/hr of whatever is running thru the line. The pressure bags deliever 3cc/hr to keep the line intact and then anytime you flush it thats that much more.

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Specializes in ICU (hearts,trauma,NICU, PICU, ER).

Normal Saline! No Heparin For Us! Risk of HIT to Great!

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Ns for A-lines and regular flushes, Hep is only used for open-ended PICCs that aren't being used, and then we monitor their plt levels carefully.

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Specializes in ICU/ER/TRANSPORT.

For our art and cvp pressurized lines we mix 500units in 500cc ns unless pt has a specific condition that would require us just to use the saline pressurized bags. Have not seen any heparin thrombocytopenia as of yet.

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We still use heparin in our flush bags. They are on pressure bags giving the 3ml/hr as mentioned. We (unfortunately) do not have a protocol to change to saline until their plts drop, or they have a positive Hep/plt antibody result.

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Specializes in Surgical Intensive Care.

Our pts come up from OR with heparinized solution, but once it runs out or is time to change it, we use NS.

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