Usefulness of heparin in initial management of patients with recent transient ischemic attacks.
We evaluated the efficacy of short-term intravenous heparin therapy in 74 patients with recent transient ischemic attacks (TIAs). The patients were treated after hospitalization until operation or long-term medical treatment was instituted. Heparin was given in a continuous infusion to maintain an activated partial thromboplastin time of 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 times control values. During the treatment period, 12 patients (16.2%) had recurrent TIAs and five (6.8%) had cerebral infarction. Bleeding complications occurred in nine patients (12.2%). In this limited series, heparin did not prevent recurrent TIAs or cerebral infarction among high-risk patients with recent TIAs.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D006493:Heparin