title: Head-to-head comparison of two different low-molecular-weight heparins in acute coronary syndrome: a single center experience.
abstract: Low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWH) of different types have yielded different results when used in the setting of unstable angina (UA) or non Q-wave myocardial infarction (NQMI). We compared the safety and therapeutic efficacy of two different LMWHs, namely dalteparin (Dalt.) and enoxaparin (Enox.), in the acute phase (first 5 days) of UA or NQMI. One hundred and forty-two patients with UA/NQMI were randomly assigned to treatment with either Dalt. [120 IU/kg twice daily by subcutaneous (SC) injection] or Enox. [1 mg/kg twice daily by SC injection]. The occurrence of any one of death, myocardial infarction, or angina recurrence within 5 days of the first LMWH injection was the endpoint of the study. There were 69 patients in the Enox. group (53 males, 16 females, mean age: 60.3+/-11.9) and 73 patients in the Dalt. group (54 males, 19 females, mean age: 59.6 +/-10.3). The baseline characteristics of the patients in the two groups were similar. There were no deaths in either group. Myocardial infarction occurred in two patients in the Dalt. group (4%). Angina recurrence was seen in 11 patients in the Enox. group (16%) and in 11 patients in the Dalt. group (15%). Overall, any of the events that made up the endpoint occurred in 11 (16%) and 14 (19%) patients in the Enox. and Dalt. groups, respectively (P>0.05). The time to occurrence of the first event, however, was significantly longer in the Enox. group (82.3+/-33.2 versus 37.6+/-23.4 hours, P=0.007). Thrombocytopenia and allergic reactions were not detected in any patient. Major bleeding was seen in I patient in the Enox. group. Minor bleeding occurred in 17 (25%) and 21 (29%) patients in the Enox. and Dalt. groups, respectively (P>0.05). Enoxaparin and dalteparin were found to be equally safe and effective for the early management of UA/NQMI, but enoxaparin appeared to delay the occurrence of MI or angina recurrence as compared to dalteparin in this setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, School of Medicine, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozdemir
authors.forename: Güliz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Türkoglu
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cemri
authors.forename: Timur
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Timurkaynak
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boyaci
authors.forename: Yalçin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ridvan
authors.forename: Atiye
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cengel
authors.forename: Ovsev
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Dörtlemez
authors.forename: Halis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dörtlemez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017985:Dalteparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017984:Enoxaparin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D017984:Enoxaparin; D006495:Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight; D017985:Dalteparin