title: Prophylaxis against postoperative pulmonary embolism and deep-vein thrombosis by low-dose heparin.
abstract: The prophylactic effect of low-dose heparin on postoperative fatal and on clinically apparent but non-fatal thromboembolic complications was studied in a double-blind, prospective, randomised study comprising 1296 patients. 16 out of 653 patients in the placebo group had such complications within the treatment period of 1 week, compared with 4 out of 643 in the heparin group. This difference was statistically significant (P less than 0.05). 4 cases in the placebo group and 1 in the heparin group were fatal. After prophylactic treatment had been stopped at the end of the first postoperative week, the rate of thromboembolic complications was equal for the 2 groups. Low-dose heparin prophylaxis is thus effective and should be given routinely in patients aged over 40 years; it should also be given for more than 1 week in patients not ambulant by then.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010388:Pelvis / Q000098:blood supply*; D010919:Placebos; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012107:Research Design; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D010919:Placebos; D006493:Heparin