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Haseeb Ahmad: Role of Heparin in Cardiac Surgeries

Haseeb Ahmad/Linkedin

May 3, 2026, 09:10

Haseeb Ahmad: Role of Heparin in Cardiac Surgeries

Haseeb Ahmad, Cardiac Anesthesia Technologist, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“Role of Heparin in Cardiac Surgeries:

In cardiac surgery, heparin is one of the most critical medications used before cardiopulmonary bypass.

Its main role is to provide safe anticoagulation so blood does not clot in the circuit, and a commonly used starting dose is 300–400 IU/kg, with the goal of reaching an ACT above 480 seconds before bypass begins.

From an anesthesia practitioner’s perspective, this step is all about precision, monitoring, and teamwork.

We help verify anticoagulation, follow ACT response, and stay closely coordinated with the surgeon and perfusion team throughout the process.

Heparin resistance is an important challenge in this setting and is often related to antithrombin deficiency or sometimes increased non-specific heparin binding.

When ACT does not rise as expected, the usual approach is to reassess the dose, give additional heparin if appropriate, and consider antithrombin concentrate when deficiency is suspected.

If antithrombin concentrate is not available, FFP may be used as an alternative, although antithrombin is often the more direct treatment when AT deficiency is the cause.

Cardiac anesthesia is not just about giving drugs, but it is about understanding physiology, anticipating problems, and protecting the patient at every step.”

Haseeb Ahmad