New clinical practice guidelines address anticoagulation during cardiopulmonary bypass

Editor's Note

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology on January 19 announced the release of new clinical practice guidelines on the use of anticoagulants during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Among the guideline recommendations are:

• optimal heparin dosing for initiation and maintenance of CPB
• identifying contraindications for use of heparin
• providing options for alternatives to heparin
• ideal methods for reversal of anticoagulation after CPB.

The goal of the guidelines is for more standardization in practice and to help clinicians practice consistent and safe coagulation, the authors say.

Leading societies release first comprehensive guideline of its kind CHICAGO (January 19, 2018) - The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists (SCA), and the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology (AmSECT) released a new clinical practice guideline that includes major recommendations for the use of blood thinning medication (anticoagulants) during heart surgery.

Read More >>