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Heparin Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of heparin include off label use, heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, and renal failure, based on 71,385 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 4.9% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Heparin side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for heparin.

1
Drug Ineffective4.9%3,523
2
Off Label Use4.8%3,443
3
Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia3.2%2,266
4
Renal Failure3.1%2,201
5
Nausea2.9%2,100
6
Acute Kidney Injury2.8%2,029
7
Pain2.8%2,009
8
Pyrexia2.7%1,952
9
Dyspnoea2.6%1,847
10
Headache2.3%1,676
11
Anxiety2.3%1,661
12
Thrombocytopenia2.3%1,655
13
Injury2.3%1,654
14
Fatigue2.3%1,642
15
Vomiting2.3%1,624

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that heparin caused these reactions.

Report severity

84.9%Serious60,639 reports
44.5%Hospitalizations31,799 reports
19.4%Fatal13,828 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Heparin drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside heparin. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Aspirin6.2%4,412
2
Warfarin3.2%2,259
3
Enoxaparin-sodium2.7%1,938
4
Aprotinin2.7%1,892
5
Dexamethasone2.2%1,558
6
Gemfibrozil2.2%1,542
7
Furosemide2.1%1,486
8
Ceftriaxone-sodium1.8%1,311
9
Methylprednisolone1.8%1,276
10
Rivaroxaban1.8%1,276
11
Alteplase1.8%1,256
12
Vancomycin1.7%1,241
13
Acetaminophen1.7%1,207
14
Prednisone1.6%1,119
15
Clopidogrel-bisulfate1.6%1,110

Taken alongside

1
Acetaminophen17.7%12,641
2
Aspirin14.7%10,509
3
Sodium-chloride12.5%8,923
4
Furosemide12.2%8,712
5
Epinephrine12.0%8,560
6
Diphenhydramine10.6%7,587
7
Ondansetron8.4%6,025
8
Insulin8.4%5,968
9
Pantoprazole-sodium8.1%5,778
10
Metoprolol8.0%5,745
11
Lidocaine7.9%5,632
12
Albuterol7.7%5,519
13
Atorvastatin-calcium6.5%4,629
14
Omeprazole6.5%4,608
15
Amlodipine6.3%4,507

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports heparin side effects

41.4% of heparin adverse event reports involve female patients and 44.8% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 51%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female41.4%
Male44.8%
Unknown13.8%

Age group

< 22.8%
2–113.2%
12–172.0%
18–6450.9%
65+41.1%

What is heparin used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking heparin when the adverse event was reported.

Abdominal DistensionAbdominal Wall HaematomaAbdominal Wall OperationAbnormal Clotting FactorAbortion SpontaneousAbscessAcquired DysfibrinogenaemiaActivated Partial Thromboplastin TimeActivated Partial Thromboplastin Time AbnormalActivated Partial Thromboplastin Time ProlongedAcute Coronary SyndromeAcute Kidney InjuryAcute Left Ventricular FailureAcute Lymphocytic LeukaemiaAcute Myocardial Infarction

Showing 15 of 1,704 indications

Heparin brand names and reporting trend

Heparin is sold under brand names including Calciparine, Heparin Sodium 20,000 Units In Dextrose 5%.

Brand names

Calciparine55,458
Heparin Sodium 20,000 Units In Dextrose 5%33,575

Quarterly reports (20042025)

20052010201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking heparin with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.