Question: Heparin Sodium Infusion

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Jul 9, 2005

You're going to have a difficult time finding an answer to this question as most posters here are in the U.S. and, I may be wrong, but I believe that Stateside most of us use premix bags of 20,000 units/500mls NS for a 40units/ml concentration. The premix takes the guesswork out of figuring out concentrations.

I think it's going to take someone who has experience with this issue in your neck of the wood.

Sorry,

~faith,

Timothy.

heartICU · Jul 9, 2005

Hi
I have a question in regards to Heparin Sodium Infusion.
I am a little lost in understanding a medication order:
If I draw up 10000unit of Heparin (5000units/5ml x2) and need to dilute to 50ml of Normal Saline in a Terumo syringe. Would this mean I would be drawing up 40ml of normal saline and 10ml of Heparin to equal 50ml?
Appreciate your help :)

Yes. You are exactly right.

And in response to the previous poster, our heparin is not diluted that way. It does come prepackaged, but we have 25000U/250cc, for a concentration of 100U/cc.

RoxanRN · Jul 9, 2005

Yes. You are exactly right.
And in response to the previous poster, our heparin is not diluted that way. It does come prepackaged, but we have 25000U/250cc, for a concentration of 100U/cc.

Ours is yet another concentration - 25000units/500ml (50units/ml).

suzanne4, RN · Jul 9, 2005

In response to the original poster, you are correct. Terumo is a brand name of syringes for those of you that are not aware of the company.

Each hospital decides on what they want for their standard concentration of heparin, it can vary between either 20,000 units per 500 ml or 25,000 units per 500 ml. These are the concentrations that you will see most often on the acute floors as well as ICU. For those of you that work in a cath lab, or OR, you may see different concentrations used, but these are not normally used on the floor.

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Jul 9, 2005

Terumo is a brand name of syringes for those of you that are not aware of the company.

Aaaah, ok, i thought it was a type of syringe.