This document discusses anticoagulants and their applications in blood banking. It describes several common anticoagulants used including EDTA, sodium citrate, and heparin. EDTA is the preferred anticoagulant for blood cell counts and blood typing due to being cytotoxic and weakly genotoxic. Sodium citrate is used for coagulation studies and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate test. Heparin prevents coagulation by inactivating thrombin and is dosed at 0.5-2.0 IU/ml of blood. The document also reviews color coded collection tube types containing different anticoagulants and their purposes.

1. ANTICOAGULANTS AND ITS APPICATION IN BLOOD
BANK

2. INTRODUCTION
• ANTICOAGULANT: Anticoagulant is an agent that is used to prevent the
formation of blood clots. Anticoagulants have various uses.
• In the body, blood is in fluid state due to optimal temperature, pH, proper
nourishment to cells and detoxification.
• Some of them occur naturally in blood-eating animals such as leeches and
mosquitoes.
• Some are used for the prevention or treatment of disorders characterized
by abnormal blood clots and emboli.

3. HISTORY
• Before the discovery of anticoagulants, defibrinated blood was used(whipping & twirling
of collected blood)
• Direct transfusions happened which needed great surgical expertise
• Birchoff (1835) did transfusion of defibrinated blood in animals
• In JOHN HOPKINS HOSPITAL: collected blood was agitated in Erlenmeyer flask with
glass beads till clot is fully formed & clot was removed; remaining liquid portion with
RBCs poured into another container through a sterile gauze & and used for transfusion
• Till 1920’s defibrinated blood was used for transfusion

4. COMMON ANTICOAGULANTS USED
IN HEMATOLOGY
1. EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra Acetic Acid)
2. SODIUM CITRATE
3. HEPARIN

5. EDTA
• Its used in a concentration of 1 to 2 mg/ml of blood.
• It may be used for both hematology and chemistry tests, and is the
preferred anticoagulant for blood cell counts (CBC), ABO Blood grouping.
• Cytotoxic and weakly genotoxic.
• Types/ Forms of EDTA :
• Routinely used are ….
1. Tri potassium salts…EDTA ( K3 EDTA)
2. Di sodium EDTA (Na2 EDTA)

6. SODIUM CITRATE
• The formal citrate solution ( Dacies solution) is
used as diluent in the counting of RBCs and
PLT’s .
• Its used for blood coagulation and platelet
function studies (PT &PTT) and can be used for
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

7. HEPARIN
• It is a natural anticoagulant in the body, found in the liver, and may also be
with in basophils and mast cells, heparin also called anti thromboplastin or
antithrombin.
• Prevents coagulation by inactivating the prophylactic activity of thrombin after
combining with AT 111 and thrombin.
• 1000 IU of heparin is equal to 10 mg (commercially available as IU)
• Dose of heparin for anticoagulation is 0.5-2.0 IU/ml of blood (approx.500 IU of
heparin for 500 ml of blood)
• Heparinized blood should be used within 24 hours.
• Earlier heparinized blood was used in pen heart surgery but now usually it is
not used as extracorporeal pumps are now usually primed with crystalloids and
not with blood.

8. COLOR CODE TUBE SELECTION OF
ANTICOAGULANTS COMMONLY USED
Stopper color Additive Notes
No additive •Used for blood bank, some
chemistries.
•Collection of serum
•10-15 min is required to allow
blood to clot before
centrifugation
EDTA •Collection of whole blood (
binds calcium)

9. Stopper color Additive Notes
Sodium or lithium heparin •Inhibits thrombin activation.
•chemistry studies
Sodium citrate •Coagulation studies (bind
calcium) (PT &PTT) (ESR).
COLOR CODE TUBE SELECTION OF
ANTICOAGULANTS COMMONLY USED

10. Stopper
color
Additive Notes
•Sodium fluoride & potassium oxalate:
inhibits enolase (phosphopyrovate
dehydrogenase)
•Sodium iodoacetate: inhibits glocose-3-
phosphate dehydrogenase
•For glucose determination in
chemistry
(stabilize glucose in plasma)
Acid citrate dextrose (ACD) •For use in blood bank studies,
HLA phenotyping, DNA and
paternity testing
(preserves red cells)
COLOR CODE TUBE SELECTION OF
ANTICOAGULANTS COMMONLY USED

11. THANK
YOU