title: [The efficacy and tolerance of heparin-calcium at low doses in postinfarct ischemic cardiopathy].
abstract: The above study was undertaken in order to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of low dose calcium heparin for postinfarct ischemic heart disease (CIPI). In particular, the incidence was checked of: cardiovascular death, reinfarction, angina pectoris, TIA or RIND, stroke, arterial thromboembolism, venous thromboses, heart failure, complex ventricular arrhythmias, silent myocardial ischemia. Eighty patients with CIPI were divided into two groups similar for age, sex, physical features, cardiovascular risk factors, site of infarction, length of hospitalization, complications during hospitalization, clinical and instrumental findings at discharge, concomitant pathology. Upon discharge, patients were randomized into group 1 for traditional treatment and group 2 which in addition received 12,000 U calcium heparin s.c. every 24 h. After 12 months, during which patients were submitted to periodical laboratory and instrumental (standard and dynamic ECG, echoG) evaluation, group 2 had significantly fewer cardiovascular events than group 1 both as to overall number of events and as to number of events per individual patient. Especially, silent myocardial ischemia and ventricular arrhythmias were less frequent in group 2 patients and these two events, especially if coincident, are known to have severe prognostic implications. The efficacy of low-dose calcium heparin must be attributed to the enhancement of physiological antithrombotic mechanisms with compensation of blood clotting disorders that are fairly frequent in CIPI patients. Long-term s.c. administration was well tolerated.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Patologia Speciale Medica, Università Cattolica del S. Cuore di Roma.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Melina
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guerrera
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melina
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerrera
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; C006871:calcium heparin; D006493:Heparin
vernacular_title: Efficacia e tollerabilità dell'eparina calcica a basse dosi nella cardiopatia ischemica post-infartuale.