Effect of Combined Anticoagulation Using Heparin and Bivalirudin on the Hemostatic and Inflammatory Responses to Cardiopulmonary Bypass in the Rat
The purpose of this study was to determine whether a reduced dose of bivalirudin, added as an adjunct to heparin, would reduce thrombin generation and circulating markers of inflammatory system activation during CPB as effectively as full-dose bivalirudin, without adversely affecting postoperative hemostasis.