Father Died from Allergic Reaction to Heparin

Philadelphia, PA"My father died from Heparin in 1998," says Melva. "He went to emergency on July 17th complaining of stomach pains and his medical records state that he had three Heparin injections within 30 minutes: 1000 units at 8.40, another 1000 units 10 minutes later and again at 9.10.

"I was told that he was left unattended from 9.15 until he complained of headaches at 12.30. The nurse called the doctor and he ordered 5000 units of Heparin at that time, to run for one hour. He then lost consciousness; he was transferred to the coronary care unit upstairs. A neurologist examined him and then he had a CAT Scan. She found a blood clot—he was bleeding in his brain.

After she saw the CAT Scan he had emergency surgery just one hour later. The doctor said if he didn't wake up, the family would be asked to take him off life support. Shortly after surgery they phoned and said he had lapsed into a coma. My father never woke up.

I know that he was administered Heparin when he was alert and had a reaction to it.

I asked the neurologist if that reaction was normal and she said no, it was rare to have an allergic reaction. My father wasn't taking any medications; he was healthy before he went into hospital. The record also says he was in good health. My father never went to a doctor; I remember him having a cold once in a blue moon but that was all.

I'm not sure what these stomach pains were; he'd been suffering from them for a few days. My father wasn't they type of person to seek medical help—he was never sick. He was only 68 years old; he never smoked; he exercised every day on his bike and never missed a day of work. You aren't supposed to get sick when you go to hospital!

My father was in a coma for four days. An autopsy was performed, just six hours after he died. The coroner found no trace of any medication in his body or his urine. But the medical record states otherwise. Apparently he died from an inter-cerebral hemorrhage after given medical therapy treatment. The medical record says this medical therapy was Heparin. The only thing he had, from the time he walked into hospital until he went into a coma and bled to death was Heparin."

Melva says that Heparin was recalled in 1998 by the FDA and in 1997 more than 30 patients complained to the FDA regarding Heparin. Heparin filled flush syringes that were recalled are typically used in hospitals and by outpatients to keep catheters and IV lines open. "I have documented proof that he died at the time of this recall but nobody cares because it was so long ago," says Melva, frustrated.