Comparative Plasma Heparin Levels after Subcutaneous Sodium and Calcium Heparin

Summary Comparative plasma heparin levels were measured in normal subjects injected subcutaneously with 5,000 units of the sodium and calcium salts of heparin. Plasma heparin levels were measured up to 7 hr post-injection by an anti-factor Xa assay (Denson and Bonnar 1973). Preliminary studies indicated that heparin levels were reproducible in subjects who received two injections of the same heparin. Peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) and the time at which peak concentration was reached (Tmax) varied greatly from subject to subject. In one group of subjects (15) two commonly used heparins, a sodium heparin (Evans) and a calcium heparin (Choay) were compared. Peak heparin concentrations were not significantly different. However the Tmax for the sodium heparin (1.5 hr) was significantly earlier than the Tmax for the calcium heparin (3 hr) and this was not due to a difference in the volume of the two heparin injections. No significant difference could be detected in the plasma clearance rate and the molecular weight distribution of the two heparins. In two other groups of subjects, sodium and calcium preparations from two manufacturers were compared. In general, the sodium salts gave rise to significantly higher plasma concentrations, which could be interpreted as a greater bioavailability of sodium salts. These results indicate that the salt of the heparin can influence the plasma concentration achieved after subcutaneous injection.