What is the antidote for heparin overdose?

The antidote for heparin overdose is protamine sulfate. Heparin is an anticoagulant medication that works by inhibiting certain factors in the blood clotting process. When there is an overdose, the risk of excessive bleeding increases significantly. Protamine sulfate functions by binding to heparin, neutralizing its anticoagulant effects.

This binding occurs because protamine sulfate is positively charged and heparin is negatively charged; they form a stable complex that inactivates heparin, effectively reversing its effects. This makes it a very specific and effective antidote in cases of heparin toxicity or overdose. When administered intravenously, protamine sulfate can quickly reduce the anticoagulation effect, thus restoring normal coagulation levels and reducing bleeding risks.

In contrast, other options such as vitamin K, calcium gluconate, and activated charcoal do not have the capability to reverse heparin's effects. Vitamin K is used to reverse the effects of vitamin K antagonists like warfarin, calcium gluconate is primarily used for treating calcium deficiencies or calcium channel blocker overdoses, and activated charcoal is used to limit the absorption of certain toxins and medications in the gastrointestinal tract but does not interact with heparin.