SIMPLIFIED HEPARIN THERAPY OF IMPENDING AND ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

Abstract

Nineteen patients with known previous coronary atherosclerotic disease, and with the clinical picture of impending myocardial infarction, received continuous heparinization for 1 to 2 weeks. Concentrated aqueous heparin was given subcutaneously every 12 or 24 hours in a total daily dose of 300-400 nag. Subsequently oral anticoagulants were given and heparin continued in a dose of 200 mg 2-3 times weekly for several months. In 13 of the 19 patients no myocardial infarction occurred. These results are better than those previously reported using oral anticoagulants alone. Evidence is summarized indicating that these results are due to the superiority of heparin as an anticoagulant, and to other actions of heparin (anti-lipemic effect) which do not occur with the oral anticoagulants. The simplified method of heparinization was also used with good results for 3 weeks in 15 patients following an acute myocardial infarction.