Sampling for International Normalized Ratios in patients on hemodialysis with central venous catheters.: An article from: Nephrology Nursing Journal

This digital document is an article from Nephrology Nursing Journal, published by Thomson Gale on July 1, 2006. The length of the article is 2645 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

From the author: The primary objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of varying heparin concentrations on International Normalized Ratio values and to assess the accuracy of these values determined through the arterial line of the dialysis circuit. Twenty-two patients on hemodialysis with central venous catheters were studied. After a peripheral venipuncture, timed samples from the arterial line of the hemodialysis circuit were obtained after dialysis was initiated and prior to initiating heparin. Assays for coagulation parameters were performed. There was no significant difference in any coagulation parameter measured from the arterial line samples compared to the venipuncture samples. Serial heparin dilutions in vitro demonstrated that residual amounts of heparin in the central venous catheter may falsely elevate International Normalized Ratio values. This study demonstrates that accurate International Normalized Ratio values in patients on hemodialysis with heparinized central venous catheters can be obtained efficiently and cost-effectively from the arterial line within 1 minute of dialysis in--on.

Citation Details
Title: Sampling for International Normalized Ratios in patients on hemodialysis with central venous catheters.
Author: Alex Boyd
Publication:Nephrology Nursing Journal (Magazine/Journal)
Date: July 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Page: 408(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale