Comprehensive Coagulation Management in Cardiac Surgery: Anticoagulants, Heparin Resistance, Monitoring, and Bleeding Risks

Abstract

Effective coagulation management is pivotal to optimizing outcomes in cardiac surgery, influencing bleeding risk, transfusion requirements, and overall perioperative safety. This comprehensive review examines current strategies, limitations, and emerging innovations across anticoagulant use, coagulation monitoring, and bleeding management. Unfractionated heparin remains the standard for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) anticoagulation, owing to its rapid reversibility, though challenges such as heparin resistance persist. Alternatives including low molecular weight heparins, direct thrombin inhibitors, and novel oral anticoagulants are reserved for select indications and carry specific limitations. Perioperative coagulation monitoring is essential; tools such as activated clotting time (ACT), anti-factor Xa assays, and viscoelastic tests (e.g., thromboelastography [TEG] and rotational thromboelastometry [ROTEM]) guide targeted therapy. Despite these advances, bleeding remains common due to factors including preoperative antithrombotic therapy, CPB-induced coagulopathy, and postoperative hemostatic deficits. Management strategies center on prophylactic antifibrinolytics, individualized transfusion protocols, and the judicious use of reversal agents. Emerging frontiers including machine learning–enhanced viscoelastic algorithms, targeted antithrombotics (e.g., factor XI inhibitors), AI-based bleeding prediction, and gene therapy for inherited coagulopathies promise to personalize and improve care. Continued research is warranted to validate novel therapies and refine evidence-based protocols for coagulation management in cardiac surgery.