Use of activated clotting time to monitor anticoagulation during cardiac surgery.

The use of a fixed dosage schedule was compared with the use of activated clotting time (ACT) for monitoring heparin anticoagulation and its neutralization during and after extracorporeal circulation in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Use of ACT resulted in a statistically significant decrease in heparin and protamine dosages and statistically significant reductions in postoperative blood loss and blood transfusion needs. Postoperative levels of blood hemoglobin concentration were significantly higher and the activated partial thromboplastin time was significantly shorter with ACT monitoring than with use of a fixed dosage schedule. The results confirmed the superiority of the ACT method for monitoring anticoagulation during cardiac surgery.