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Unfractionated Heparin for Deep Vein Thrombosis
How Well It Works
Heparin can be used to treat or prevent a deep vein thrombosis. When used for treatment, heparin prevents new blood clots from forming and prevents existing clots from getting larger. This allows the normal body systems to dissolve the clots that are already formed.
Heparin reduces the chance that a blood clot will get larger. This reduces the risk of getting a blood clot in the lung (pulmonary embolism).
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: December 28, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
Reference Jeffrey S. Ginsberg, MD - Hematology |
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