In moderately ill patients, a full dose of the blood thinner heparin improved survival and reduced the need for vital organ support such as mechanical ventilation. Image courtesy of Wikipedia.Two Canadian-led studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine show that full-dose blood thinners help moderately ill hospitalized COVID-19 patients, but not critically ill patients. In moderately ill patients, a full dose of the blood thinner heparin improved survival and reduced the need for vital organ support such as mechanical ventilation.

The Ottawa Hospital was the top-recruiting Canadian site in the international trials, which immediately changed medical practice around the world when interim results were released in February.

The trials were led by Dr. Ryan Zarychanski who previously trained at The Ottawa Hospital with Drs. Dean Fergusson and Paul Hébert. A large team in Ottawa contributed to the trials, including Drs. Lana Castellucci, Marc Carrier, Dean Fergusson, Alan Karovitch, Cathy Code, Irene Watpool, Rebecca Porteous and many other physicians and nursing staff.

The Ottawa Hospital is a leading academic health, research and learning hospital proudly affiliated with the University of Ottawa and supported by The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. 

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