Heparin is a blood-thinning drug available as an injection; heparin is often used to prevent clotting in blood vessels for patients in the hospital before being switched to oral blood-thinning medications. Heparin in low doses is also used to prevent leg clots in people at high risk for these clots (e.g., directly after surgery or in other immobilized situations). Injections are dosed individually according to blood clotting test times, and clotting times are measured periodically while a patient is receiving heparin.
Hemorrhage
The most common side effect of heparin is increased bleeding. Although low, and even therapeutic, doses of heparin do not usually cause increased bleeding times, though excess bleeding (of mild to hemorrhaging levels) is possible, especially in women older than 60 years of age. Easy bruising, nosebleeds and bloody urine may be noted; sometimes, bleeding is harder to find (e.g., abdominal or ovarian locations).
Local Injection Reactions
Heparin injections may cause side effects of irritation, redness, pain, itching and swelling at the site of injection. Hematoma, or collection of blood under the skin, also occurs at injection sites. Injection under the skin, instead of into muscle, is preferred to reduce these reactions. Local side effects from intravenous injection are similar but less common.
Thrombocytopenia
A more unusual side effect of heparin therapy is thrombocytopenia, or or low platelet levels. Platelets are the cells used to form clots in the blood, so thrombocytopenia causes increased bleeding as well. Thrombocytopenia may occur in up to 30 percent of patients; although this side effect is often mild, serious complications are possible and include limb pain and gangrene. Thrombocytopenia may occur during or even after heparin therapy.
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