[Secondary prevention after deep venous thrombosis. Low molecular weight heparin versus coumarin]

Abstract

In numerous clinical trials low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) have proven to be highly efficacious and safe in preventing thromboembolic complications. There is also a strong evidence that for the prevention of recurrence after deep venous thrombosis LMWHs lead to results comparable to those of dose-adjusted coumarin: in a monocentric randomized prospective study 200 patients after conservatively or surgically treated deep vein thrombosis received either a fixed dose of LMWH (5000 U anti-Xa; Fragmin P forte) s.c. or dose-adjusted coumarin (Marcumar) p.o. during a period of 3-6 months. During a follow-up of 12 months there was no significant difference between both groups regarding recurrence of deep vein thrombosis but three major bleeding complications in the coumarin-group (none in the LMWH-group) occurred.