Management of venous thromboembolism.

INTRODUCTION: Venous Thromboembolism is an important healthcare problem the world over, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality and resource expenditure. The rationale for use of thromboprophylaxis is based on solid principles and scientific evidence. Indian perspective on this topic is lacking due to the non-availability of published Indian data. This document reviews the available International and Indian data and discusses the relevance of recommendations for prevention and management of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in the Indian context. MATERIALS AND METHODS : Meetings of various specialists from different Indian hospitals in the field of Gastrointestinal Surgery, General and Vascular Surgery, Hematology, Intensive Care, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oncology and Orthopedics were held in the months of August 2005 to January 2006. The guidelines published by American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), the International Union of Angiology (IUA), and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (RCOG), were discussed during these meetings. The relevance of these guidelines and the practical implications of following these in a developing country like India were also discussed. Any published data from India was collected from data base searches and the results, along with personal experiences of the participating specialists were discussed. The experiences and impressions of the experts during these meetings have been included in this document. Data from recent sources (International Union of Angiology and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Practice guidelines in Oncology on Venous thromboembolic disease) was subsequently also included in this document. RESULTS: The suggestions formulated in this document are practical, and would intend to serve as a useful practical reference. CONCLUSIONS: A number of unanswered questions remain in the field of thromboprophylaxis, and carefully designed research protocols may help answer some of these. Implementation of the suggestions outlined in the document remains to be studied in the Indian context.

Low molecular weight heparin for treatment of acute myocardial infarction (FAMI): Fragmin (dalteparin sodium) in acute myocardial infarction.

The benefit of using subcutaneous low molecular weight heparin for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of a low molecular weight heparin (dalteparin sodium) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction in patients not treated with thrombolytic therapy. Twenty-nine cardiological centres from leading hospitals in India participated in this prospective, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in two phases which included 1128 patients with acute myocardial infarction. In the acute phase (between day 1 and 3 of admission) all the patients received a weight-adjusted dose of subcutaneous dalteparin (120 IU/kg twice daily). In the second, double-blind phase of acute myocardial infarction, patients were randomised to receive a fixed dose of dalteparin (7,500 IU) or an identical placebo injection for 30 days. A composite primary endpoint of death, reinfarction, recurrence of angina and emergency revascularisation was used. All the 1128 patients with acute myocardial infarction were included in the trial. In the acute phase, the composite primary endpoint was observed in 58 (5.1%) patients. Of 1037 paients who were randomly assigned to receive a fixed dose of dalteparin (n=519) or placebo (n=518), the composite primary event rate was 6.7 percent and 7.0 percent, respectively (RR 0.97; 95% CI 0.62-1.52; p=0.90). To conclude, treatment with dalteparin administered subcutaneously in a weight-adjusted dose of 120 IU/kg twice daily resulted in a lower than expected mortality during the acute phase of myocardial infarction. A lower fixed once daily dose of 7,500 IU during the chronic phase did not confer additional protection.