Heparin belongs to the class of drugs known as anticoagulants. More specifically, it can be classified under both Anticoagulants, Cardiovascular and Anticoagulants, Hematologic.
Here's a breakdown:
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Anticoagulants: This is the primary class. Anticoagulants are drugs that help prevent blood clots. They are often referred to as "blood thinners," although they don't actually thin the blood. Instead, they interfere with the blood clotting process.
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Anticoagulants, Cardiovascular: This classification highlights heparin's role in preventing and treating blood clots that can lead to cardiovascular issues, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), and arterial thromboembolism.
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Anticoagulants, Hematologic: This classification emphasizes heparin's direct action on the blood and blood components, specifically targeting factors involved in the coagulation cascade (the process by which blood clots).
In summary, Heparin is classified as an anticoagulant, specifically falling under both the cardiovascular and hematologic subcategories due to its therapeutic use and mechanism of action within the blood and circulatory system.
