Heparin Overdose
The Horrors Of Heparin Overdose
Heparin is a blood thinner, or anticoagulant, that is used to prevent the clotting of blood in your system. It is often used via injection in hospitals to prevent blood clots forming as the result of long periods of inactivity when you are lying in your hospital bed or prior to surgery to lessen the risk of blood clots forming whilst you are on the operating table. Heparin is also used to treat pulmonary embolisms, which are blood clots that can move into your lungs from your heart, with devastating consequences which are often fatal. Heparin has to be administered very carefully though, in just the correct dose, as heparin overdose itself can be fatal if not treated.
The first signs of heparin overdose can include headaches, easy bruising, nosebleeds, breathing troubles, blurred speech, blurred vision and bodily imbalance, as well as itching, a blue tinge to the skin, pain or swelling in the legs or numbness in various parts of the body. Some of the symptoms are misleading, as you may suddenly contract a fever, with the usual watery eyes and running nose, and these symptoms may be mistaken for cold or flu symptoms.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for the wrong dosage of heparin to be administered. This can be especially dangerous if you have certain conditions that your doctor may not know about, or does not take proper cognisance of, such as if you are having a menstrual period at the time, or you have uncontrolled high blood pressure, liver disease, a stomach/intestinal disorder or a blood clotting disorder like haemophilia. In these cases, a heparin overdose can quickly turn fatal.
If you suspect that you have been a victim of a heparin overdose, you should seek urgent medical attention and let your doctor know of all your symptoms as well as any risk factors you possess. You should then contact an experienced medical negligence attorney, such as Adele van der Walt Inc, to discuss your avenues of legal recompense for being incorrectly dosed with heparin.
For more information on this subject, please give us a call at 012 460 3668 (SA) or e-mail us at clare@avdw.co.za
