Heparin overdose

July 8, 2008

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A Corpus Christi hospital says 14 babies in its neonatal intensive care unit received overdoses of the Heparin.

Christus Spohn Hospital South CEO Bruce Holstein says the error in the dosage of the medicine - used to flush intravenous lines to prevent blood clots from forming - was discovered Sunday night by hospital nurses. He says the nurses noticed abnormalities in lab tests.

Pharmacy operations were halted temporarily Monday. He said the error was believed to have happened in the pharmacy when the medicine was mixed.

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UPDATE: The error was unrelated to product labeling or packaging of pediatric heparin, according to the statement by Dr. Richard Davis, chief medical officer of Christus Spohn Health System.