Heparin monitoring

Heparin monitoring ensures that this blood-thinning medication works effectively without causing bleeding. It involves blood tests, primarily the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), to measure how quickly blood clots. By regularly checking these levels, healthcare providers can adjust the heparin dose, maintaining it within a safe range—preventing clots if too low, and bleeding if too high. Monitoring is essential because individual responses to heparin vary, ensuring safe and effective treatment during procedures or for certain medical conditions.