Drug & supplement interaction

Piracetam + Heparin

Heparin brand name: Heparin.

Major Interaction
The bottom line Major

Piracetam has a major interaction with Heparin. Theoretically, concomitant use of piracetam and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityMajor
LikelihoodProbable
EvidenceB
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
Know someone taking this? Share
Interaction report

Piracetam and Heparin

Here is the interaction we found between these two, with the evidence behind it.

Major

ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS

Why this applies to Heparin

Heparin falls under ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS — the group Piracetam interacts with.

Theoretically, concomitant use of piracetam and anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs might increase the risk of bleeding.
Preliminary clinical research shows that a single dose of piracetam inhibits platelet aggregation.
Severity Major Likelihood Probable Evidence B

Interaction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports..

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the simple version: heparin already thins your blood and slows clotting. Piracetam may add a separate effect by making your platelets (the tiny cells that help form clots) a little less sticky. So if you pair them, you could be stacking two things that work against clotting at the same time, which can raise your risk of bleeding. With heparin, that might show up as easy bruising, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in urine or stool, or a cut that takes a long time to stop.

Heparin isn't a prodrug, so this is just two blood-thinning effects adding up, not a change in how heparin is activated. The platelet finding comes from early research, so it's not fully proven, but the bleeding concern is taken seriously. Please don't start, stop, or adjust anything on your own. Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.

References
  1. Moriau M, Crasborn L, Lavenne-Pardonge E, et al. Platelet anti-aggregant and rheological properties of piracetam. A pharmacodynamic study in normal subjects. Arzneimittelforschung. 1993;43(2):110-8.

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Piracetam Also Interacts With Other Medications

Piracetam has 121 major, known drug interactions in our database — the Heparin one above is one of them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Piracetam

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Piracetam. Pick one to open its full report.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Heparin

This page covers Piracetam only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Heparin page lists 202 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Danshen (major), Aconite (moderate), Allspice (moderate), Aloe (moderate) and Alpha-lipoic Acid (moderate).

By severity: 2 major · 183 moderate · 17 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Heparin page

“Heparin exists to keep clots from forming, and all 202 supplements on this list touch that same clotting machinery, so treat these pairings with real care. Nearly all lean the same way, adding antiplatelet or anticoagulant activity that can push a therapeutic dose toward bruising and bleeding.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Heparin interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Piracetam as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 6 real supplement products containing Piracetam, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Piracetam. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Heparin too, on top of Piracetam — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Piracetam and Heparin Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Piracetam
Steady interest

#856 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Heparin
Steady interest

#1,591 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Piracetam

What is Piracetam?

  • Memory and cognition ('nootropic')
  • Cognitive decline and dementia
  • Myoclonus
  • Dyslexia in children
  • Vertigo

Piracetam is a synthetic 'nootropic' drug studied mainly for cognitive decline, myoclonus, and certain neurological conditions, but evidence for boosting memory in healthy people is weak. It is a prescription medicine in many countries and is not an approved drug or dietary supplement in the United States, so quality and safety of products sold online vary. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before using it.

Read the full Piracetam monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Heparin Injection

What Is Heparin Injection Used For?

Brand name: Heparin

Heparin Sodium Injection is used to prevent and treat venous thrombosis (blood clots in veins) and pulmonary embolism (clots in the lungs). It is also used to prevent blood clots after major abdominothoracic surgery, to manage atrial fibrillation with embolization (a heart rhythm problem that can cause clots), and to treat disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), a serious condition where the blood clots too much throughout the body.

Additional uses include preventing clotting during arterial and cardiac surgery, treating peripheral arterial embolism (clots in the arteries of the limbs), and serving as an anticoagulant during blood transfusions, dialysis, and procedures using extracorporeal circulation (machines that temporarily take over heart or lung function).

See full Heparin Injection drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Piracetam

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Piracetam — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

121Major
0Moderate
0Minor
2,708No known interaction
Major

121 interactions

Showing 60 of 121 major interactions — see all 121 on the Piracetam page.

No interaction 2,708 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

Keep exploring
Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Piracetam and Heparin Together: Common Questions

Can you take Piracetam with Heparin?
This is rated a major interaction, so the combination is best avoided unless your doctor or pharmacist has specifically told you otherwise. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
How serious is the Piracetam and Heparin interaction?
We rate it Major. This is a clinically significant combination that is generally best avoided, or used only under the direct supervision of your physician or pharmacist.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Heparin and Piracetam?

Our pharmacists answer your medication & supplement questions — free.

Ask a pharmacist

This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.