Heparin

Heparin constitutes a highly sulphated glycosaminoglycan anticoagulant naturally occurring in mast cells and widely used therapeutically for preventing and treating thromboembolic disorders through enhancing antithrombin activity. This heterogeneous mixture of polysaccharide chains varies in molecular weight from 3,000 to 30,000 daltons, with unfractionated heparin representing the original therapeutic form and low-molecular-weight heparins providing more predictable pharmacokinetics.

The pharmaceutical industry produces heparin from animal sources, primarily porcine intestinal mucosa, requiring extensive purification and quality control. Manufacturing processes extract crude heparin, purify through multiple steps, and characterise final products through comprehensive testing. Low-molecular-weight heparins produced through controlled depolymerisation offer advantages including subcutaneous administration, predictable pharmacokinetics, and reduced bleeding risk. Clinical applications span deep vein thrombosis prevention and treatment, pulmonary embolism management, and anticoagulation during dialysis or cardiac surgery. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia represents a serious adverse event requiring careful monitoring.