Prevention of Deep Vein Thrombosis in Medical Patients by Low-Dose Heparin

Abstract

A randomised trial was undertaken in one hundred patients with heart failure and/or chest infection to determine whether low-dose subcutaneous heparin reduced the frequency of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs. Heparin, (5000 units 8 hourly) significantly reduced the frequency of DVT, diagnosed by the¹²⁵I-fibrinogen scan technique, from 26 to 4 per cent (p < 0.01). Heparin was started within 12 hours of admission to hospital and continued until the patient was fully mobile. Heparin did not cause bleeding problems except for a 20 per cent incidence of injection site bruising. We therefore recommend prophylaxis with low-dose subcutaneous heparin in patients with heart failure or chest infection who require more than three days bed rest.