It has been proposed that wide individual variation in response to heparin be not considered in the conventional set protocol for the control of heparin and protamine during extracorporeal circulation. In this paper, two protocol of heparin and protamine therapy were compared to assess the role of the Activated Clotting Time [ACT] in relation to heparin, protamine, and postoperative blood loss and transfusion. The study groups consisted of the 31 patients [adults 15 and children 16] anticoagulated with the conventional heparin protocol and the 31 patients [adults 15 and children 16] anticoagulated with ACT protocol during extracorporeal circulation. In the conventional heparin protocol, two mg of heparin per kg was administered initially with an additional 0.75 mg of heparin per kg every 30 minutes of extracorporeal circulation, and reversal was accomplished with protamine in a dose of 1.5 times the total milligram of heparin. In the ACT protocol, two mg of heparin per kg was administered initially with an additional dose of heparin enough to reach an ACT of 480 seconds [within safe zone 300 to 600 seconds] from the patient`s dose response curve every 1 hour of extracorporeal circulation, and reversal was done with protamine in a dose of 1.3 times the milligram of the residual heparin. The results were summarized as follows. After a dose of 2 mg per kg of heparin, the patient`s ACT varied from 240 to 600 seconds in adults and from 240 t~ 660 seconds in children. In the ACT group the total amount of heparin administered was markedly reduced when compared to the conventional group, and less protamine was required to neutralize heparin. The dose of heparin administered decreased from 7.07 [SE 0.42] mg/kg of the conventional group to 4.92 [SE 0.32] mg/k8 of the ACT group in adults and from 10.17 [SE 1.15] mg/kg to 5.23 [SE 0.24] mg/kg in children, which represent 30.4% and 48.6% decrease respectively. The dose of protamine administered for reversal decreased from 10.6 [SE 0.63] mg/kg of the conventional group to 3.35 [SE 0.35] mg/kg of the ACT group in adults and from 15.7 [SE 1.70] mg/kg to 3.26 [SE 0.27] mg/kg in children, which represent 68.4% and 79.2% respectively. The ratio of protamine to heparin administered in the conventional group was 1.50:1 in adults and 1.54:1 in children, but in the ACT group 0.68:1 in adults and 0.62:1 in children. Postoperative blood loss and transfusion revealed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Although six patients in the conventional group and one in the ACT group needed re-exploration for continuous hemorrhage, no case of generalized oozing was encountered, and in each case a definite bleeding site was identified. Author would like emphasizing the value of the ACT protocol in controlling heparin and protamine administration during extracorporeal circulation.