Prescription medication · Unfractionated Heparin
heparin
Also sold as Heparin Sodium. Heparin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs.
Data updated 2026-05-15
- 12,966
- FDA reportsModerately reported
- 20
- InteractionsSeveral interactions
- In shortage
- FDA status
What the data shows
heparin (Heparin Sodium) is a prescription Unfractionated Heparin, reported less often than most tracked drugs (12,966 FDA reports), with 20 documented drug interactions.
Reporting volume reflects how widely a drug is used and studied, not how dangerous it is, a FAERS report documents a temporal association, never proof of cause.
heparin (Heparin Sodium) is a prescription Unfractionated Heparin. Heparin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs.
Heparin is a medicine that helps prevent and treat blood clots. It is given as an injection into a vein or under the skin.
Verify with FDA → · CMS NADAC pricing →
Drug Shortage Alert
heparin is currently listed as in shortage by the FDA. Affected manufacturer: Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC. Status: Available.
View all drug shortages →Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$2.17/unit
Generic Available
Yes (21 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
NADAC price trail: HEPARIN SODIUM 10,000 UNIT/ML VIAL
Same CMS presentation as the headline generic unit price above (2 effective dates). Adjacent % compares consecutive NADAC releases for this description only, not a patient out-of-pocket quote. Latest step: -4.1% vs prior release.
| Effective | NADAC / unit | vs prior | NDCs |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 23, 2024 | $2.26/ML | - | 1 |
| December 18, 2024 | $2.17/ML | -4.1% | 9 |
What it does
Heparin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs.
Common side effects
Bleeding, Irritation at the injection site, Allergic reactions
Key warnings
Heparin can cause serious bleeding, which can be fatal.
The sections below are summarized in plain English from heparin's FDA-approved prescribing information. They describe what the official label says, and are not personal medical advice.
How It Works
Heparin works by stopping certain proteins in your blood from forming clots. It helps to thin your blood and prevent new clots from forming. It does not dissolve existing blood clots, but it can keep them from getting bigger.
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 12,966 FDA adverse event reports.
Most-reported reactions
Adverse reactions in FAERS for heparin, by number of reports
- Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
1,207 reports
- Nausea
Nausea
708 reports
- Drug Hypersensitivity
Drug Hypersensitivity
603 reports
- Vomiting
Vomiting
572 reports
- Hypotension
Hypotension
547 reports
- Dyspnoea
Dyspnoea
519 reports
- Pyrexia 465
Pyrexia
465 reports
- Thrombocytopenia 458
Thrombocytopenia
458 reports
- Pulmonary Embolism 457
Pulmonary Embolism
457 reports
- Sepsis 452
Sepsis
452 reports
What this shows Bars show how often each reaction was reported, not how likely it is to happen, a report records a temporal association, never proof that the drug caused it.
Reports over time
Adverse-event reports filed for heparin each year to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS).
Year-to-year volume tracks usage, prescribing, and scrutiny, not a change in per-patient risk. Source: FDA FAERS.
Where heparin sits
heparin has more FDA adverse-event reports than 45% of the drugs FAERS tracks. A high position reflects how widely a drug is used and watched, not how dangerous it is.
Percentile across all drugs PlainMeds tracks by FAERS report volume. The dot is heparin; the line is the median (50th percentile).
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 12,966 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
12,966
Reports Mentioning Death
2,519
19.4% of reports — not proof of cause
Hospitalization Reports
5,169
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | HEPARIN-INDUCED THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 1,207 |
| 3 | NAUSEA | 708 |
| 5 | DRUG HYPERSENSITIVITY | 603 |
| 6 | VOMITING | 572 |
| 7 | HYPOTENSION | 547 |
| 8 | DYSPNOEA | 519 |
| 9 | PYREXIA | 465 |
| 10 | THROMBOCYTOPENIA | 458 |
| 11 | PULMONARY EMBOLISM | 457 |
| 12 | SEPSIS | 452 |
| 13 | ABDOMINAL PAIN | 449 |
| 14 | ANAEMIA | 440 |
| 15 | THROMBOSIS | 406 |
| 16 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 368 |
| 17 | DEATH | 364 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
Heparin can cause serious bleeding, which can be fatal. It can also cause a severe reaction called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), where your body attacks your own platelets. Make sure your doctor knows if you have ever had HIT. Using the wrong strength of heparin can also cause fatal bleeding.
Known Drug Interactions
7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Mechanism: Heparin thins the blood, and ibuprofen stops blood cells called platelets from sticking together. Using them together significantly increases your risk of dangerous bleeding.
7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Mechanism: Both drugs affect how your blood clots, with one thinning the blood and the other stopping platelets from clumping. This combination makes it much easier for you to bleed or bruise.
7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Mechanism: Hydroxychloroquine can interfere with how blood cells stick together to stop bleeding. When taken with a blood thinner like heparin, it increases the chance of serious bleeding.
7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Mechanism: Both drugs make it harder for your blood to clot, which increases the risk of bleeding. Indomethacin stops platelets from sticking together, while heparin thins the blood.
7.2 Platelet Inhibitors Drugs such as NSAIDS (including salicylic acid, ibuprofen, indomethacin, and celecoxib), dextran, phenylbutazone, thienopyridines, dipyridamole, hydroxychloroquine, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists (including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban), and others that interfere with platelet-aggregation reactions (the main hemostatic defense of heparinized patients) may induce bleeding and should be used with caution in patients receiving heparin sodium.
Mechanism: These drugs both interfere with how your blood clots, making it more likely that you will bleed. Dipyridamole stops blood cells from clumping together while heparin works as a blood thinner.
This is a plain-language summary of FDA-label interaction records and does not provide individual medication-combination directions.
Common Questions
What should I do if I experience bleeding while taking heparin?
Can I take other medications with heparin?
How often will my blood be tested while taking heparin?
What is heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)?
Can heparin be used to prevent blood clots during pregnancy?
What should I avoid while taking heparin?
How long will I need to take heparin?
What are the symptoms of a blood clot?
Is there a reversal agent for heparin?
What if I have a known allergy to pork products?
What are the common side effects of heparin?
Does heparin interact with other medications?
What drug class is heparin?
What pregnancy or breastfeeding source fields are listed for heparin?
Has heparin been recalled?
Is heparin currently in shortage?
Active Recalls
Microbial Contamination of Sterile Products; out of limit results obtained for endotoxin testing.
Baxter Healthcare Corporation
Related Medications in Unfractionated Heparin
Other drugs grouped near heparin - same-class peers and common alternatives.
apixaban
Eliquis
Apixaban (Eliquis) is a medicine that helps prevent blood clots.
Compare with heparin →
aspirin
Bayer, Ecotrin
Aspirin is a common medicine used to relieve minor pain.
Compare with heparin →
cilostazol
Pletal
Cilostazol is a medicine that helps improve walking distance in people with leg pain due to poor circulation.
Compare with heparin →
clopidogrel
Plavix
Clopidogrel is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots.
Compare with heparin →
dabigatran
Pradaxa
Dabigatran (Pradaxa) is a drug that helps to prevent blood clots from forming.
Compare with heparin →
Compare beyond drug class
Nationwide peers by FAERS volume & death-report share
Two PlainMeds-derived comparison paths for heparin: nearest FDA FAERS report volume and nearest death-report share among drugs with at least 1,000 logged reports, excluding same-class neighbors listed above. Counts reflect reporting volume, not proven individual harm.
Similar FAERS report volume
Nearest drugs by total FAERS reports. This record: 12,966.
Similar death-report share
Nearest drugs by FAERS death-report share. This record: 19.43%.
- digoxin Δ 0.04 pts · 70,341 reports · Cardiac Glycoside 19.39%death share
- ranibizumab Δ 0.05 pts · 26,174 reports · Anti-VEGF (Ophthalmic Injection) 19.38%death share
- enzalutamide Δ 0.18 pts · 57,614 reports · Androgen Receptor Inhibitor 19.61%death share
- itraconazole Δ 0.26 pts · 11,311 reports · Azole Antifungal 19.69%death share
Medication Guides
Understanding Drug Interactions
How CYP450 enzymes, inhibitors, and inducers affect your medications
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
FDA requirements, cost savings, and when the difference matters
Narrow Therapeutic Index Drugs
FDA bioequivalence and label-record context for narrow therapeutic index medicines
Common Drug Interactions
Dangerous medication combinations and how to protect yourself
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What the FDA Data Shows for heparin
The FDA label for heparin (sold under brand names such as Heparin Sodium) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Unfractionated Heparin class. Heparin is used to prevent and treat blood clots in your veins and lungs. Official labeling lists 4 commonly reported side effects, including Bleeding, Irritation at the injection site, Allergic reactions.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 12,966 voluntary reports. The database also lists 20 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated moderate severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $2.17.
Report counts do not establish causation, a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history (currently 1 recall record on file), and patent information are separate source-record fields. This page is a public FDA/CMS registry and does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC). Shortage status: FDA Drug Shortages Database.
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. This registry does not provide medication decisions.
Last updated: September 26, 2025
PlainMeds is rendered directly from FDA openFDA/FAERS extracts, DailyMed labels, and CMS drug-pricing files, no number is typed in by an editor. FAERS counts, recalls, shortages, and price figures on this page are queried live from those federal extracts. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Primary sources: openFDA / FAERS, DailyMed and CMS Part B ASP.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Data currency: FDA FAERS adverse-event reports through 2025, CMS NADAC acquisition-cost pricing effective December 2024, compiled from the source snapshot dated . See our methodology for per-source dates and refresh cadence. Spot a figure that looks wrong? Report a data issue.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book - approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed - NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) - post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm - standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files - federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database - current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages