Abstract

TOIRAC LAMARQUE, Rafael; GOMEZ TORRES, Juan; PERDOMO LEYVA, Doris  and  MORALES LARRAMENDI, Ricardo. Asma y heparina. Rev cubana med [online]. 1996, vol.35, n.3, pp. 169-175. ISSN 1561-302X.

The literature available on the use of heparin for the treatment of status asthmaticus appears to be contradictory and does not help to elucidate the problem. A review of the literature was made for searching the contact points between the pathophysiology of the status asthmaticus and heparin pharmacology, in order to explain the efficacy attributed to this well-known anticoagulant drug which actions in the treatment of this condition are not known. There is a close relationship between the platelet activating factor, eosinophils (with the major basic protein that they secrete) and the late asthmatic relation, which is the causative factor of status asthmaticus. This chain could be the one antagonised by heparin with its antiaggregating platelet action, and its neutralizing action of the major basic protein, thus being useful for the treatment of such cases.

Keywords : HEPARIN [pharmacology]; STATUS ASTHMATICUS [physiology]; ASTHMA [physiopathology]; PLATELET AGGREGATION; PLATELET ACTIVATION; EOSINOPHILS.