What are the clinical applications of heparin?
Heparin is clinically used for anticoagulation, to prevent and treat thrombosis, for antithrombin deficiencies, and in combination with thrombolytic agents for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. Clinical applications of heparin include the prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis, the prevention of systemic embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation, and the treatment of unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Subcutaneous adjusted-dose unfractionated heparin can also be used in the initial treatment of venous thromboembolism, while intravenous heparin and recombinant hirudin can be used for the treatment of acute coronary syndromes.  