( CNN ) -- A Corpus Christi , Texas , hospital is investigating how up to 17 babies in a neonatal intensive care unit received overdoses of the blood thinner heparin . One of the babies died . Officials at Christus Spohn Hospital South say corrective action was taken after the discovery of the overdoses . The infant was one of 17 who may have received a more concentrated form of heparin than was prescribed , Christus Spohn Hospital South said in a statement . Heparin is an anticoagulant often used to clean the IVs of patients and prevent blood clots from forming in the lines . It came into the public spotlight last year when newborn twins of actor Dennis Quaid nearly died after receiving an overdose at a Los Angeles hospital . Nursing staff at the Corpus Christi hospital discovered the problem Sunday -- two days after the medication is believed to have been first administered , according to Bruce Holstien , president and CEO of Christus Spohn Health System . The hospital said it took corrective measures after the discovery . A preliminary investigation concluded that `` the medication error occurred during the mixing process within the hospital pharmacy , '' Holstein said in a statement . The baby who died `` was seriously ill , and we do not know at this time what role , if any , the higher than expected concentration of heparin played in this baby 's death , '' Dr. Richard Davis , chief medical officer for the health system , said Tuesday . `` Our deepest sympathy goes out to this family , '' he said . Twelve of the 16 other babies remain in stable condition in the neonatal intensive care unit , which cares for ill newborns . Three have been discharged , and one is critical and unstable as that baby has been since admission to the unit , Davis said . In November , Quaid 's 12-day-old twins , Thomas Boone and Zoe Grace , were undergoing intravenous antibiotic treatment for a staph infection at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles . According to standard procedure , nurses were supposed to clean the infants ' IV lines with Hep-Lock , a drug containing a small dose of heparin , to allow the lines to flow freely . However , instead of the 10 units of heparin they were supposed to receive , the twins received 10,000 units -- 1,000 times the prescribed amount . The babies survived , apparently with no permanent injury , Quaid later told members of a House committee on government oversight , although there is no way to know whether they will show any long-term effects .
One baby dies in Texas hospital 's neonatal intensive care unit . Hospital says medication mix-up apparently occurred in hospital pharmacy . Up to 17 babies receive too-concentrated form of blood thinner heparin . Score: 6