Clotting Time of Heparinized Blood

Abstract

It is well known that shock is accompanied by a marked metabolic acidosis. Considerable work has been done^1-7 to show that disseminated intravascular coagulation is also produced in irreversible shock. In fact it may be the etiological agent in irreversibility, producing focal tissue necrosis by microinfarction in the liver, kidneys, and other abdominal organs. In attempting to define factors which bring about this coagulation in the microcirculation, it was decided to investigate the effect of acidosis on blood clotting and shock. A number of in vivo animal and human experiments have been done. A simple in vitro experiment is reported here. Materials and Methods A. The principles of laboratory animal care as promulgated by the National Society for Medical Research were observed. Ten mongrel dogs were given 3 mg/kg of heparin intravenously. Ten minutes later a 20 ml sample of blood was taken in a plastic syringe and divided