Blood Collection Tube BD Vacutainer Lithium Heparin 13mm x 75mm 4mL

Lithium Heparin/Sodium Heparin

BD Vacutainer Plasma Tubes for clinical chemistry are available with spray-dried sodium heparin or lithium heparin additives. Heparin acts as an anticoagulant as it develops an antithrombin complex. This complex inhibits thrombin and the activated factor X and thus prevents coagulation. The optimum anticoagulation is achieved in all BD Vacutainer Tubes by the use of 17 IU pharmaceutical grade heparin per mL of blood when the fill level is correct. The lithium heparin in BD Vacutainer® Tubes is spray dried onto the inner walls of the tubes using a special procedure so that the additive is evenly distributed to achieve the best possible solubility. For clinical chemistry, lithium heparin is generally preferred over sodium heparin.