title: Prevention of postoperative deep vein thrombosis by one daily injection of low molecular weight heparin and dihydroergotamine.
abstract: 201 patients aged over 40 years undergoing abdominal surgery were divided randomly into two groups. Each patient received two subcutaneous injections daily: the first group received a morning injection of 1500 aPTT U of low molecular weight heparin combined with 0.5 mg dihydroergotamine (LMH/DHE) and an evening injection of placebo; the second group received morning and evening injections of 2500 IU standard heparin combined with 0.5 mg dihydroergotamine(H/DHE). 25 patients were withdrawn during the course of the trial, 13 in the LMH/DHE group and 12 in the H/DHE group. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to age, sex, body weight or history of thromboembolism. 125I-labelled fibrinogen test was routinely used to detect deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which was confirmed by phlebography. Ventilation-perfusion scanning was performed in patients in whom pulmonary embolism was suspected on clinical grounds. DVT occurred in 6 patients in the LMH/DHE group (6.9%) and in 7 patients in the H/DHE group (7.9%). Pulmonary embolism occurred in one patient in each group. The only noteworthy haemorrhagic incident was a haematoma of the abdominal wall in one patient (LMH/DHE). It was concluded that a single daily injection of 1500 aPTT U low molecular weight heparin combined with DHE is as effective and as well tolerated as two injections daily of 2500 IU standard heparin combined with DHE.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jacot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krähenbühl
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004087:Dihydroergotamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007279:Injections, Subcutaneous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D013924:Thrombophlebitis / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D004087:Dihydroergotamine