[Prevention of venous thromboemboli with low doses of heparin in patients with proximal femur fractures]

Abstract

The value of low dosage heparin in preventing venous thromboembolism was studied in 150 patients with proximal femoral fractures. This was a prospective, randomized, clinical trial, consisting of 116 women and 34 men with a mean age of 73 years (38 to 92). 5000 units of subcutaneous heparin was given twice a day for a fortnight to the heparinized group and the control group was left without. The heparin was commenced on admission to hospital. Deep venous thromboses (D. V. T.) and pulmonary embolism (P. E.) was diagnosed on clinical grounds. Fatal P. E. was verified by necropsy. There was significantly less D. V. T. in the heparinized group than in the control group (p < 0.01) and the incidence of P. E. was smaller in the heparinized group, 0 and 4 per cent respectively. This difference is not statistically significant. There were no significant differences in the amount of blood needed. We recommend routine use of low dosage heparin started on admission to hospital in proximal femoral fractures.