UNFRACTIONATED AND LOW-MOLECULAR-WEIGHT HEPARIN - COMPARISONS AND CURRENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Intravenous heparin followed by warfarin has been the classical antico agulant therapy of acute venous thromboembolism for the past 30 years. In recent years a number of low-molecular-weight heparins have become available for clinical trials. These agents have a number of advantag es over unfractionated heparin and are now being used internationally for the prevention and treatment of venous thromboembolism. Low-molecu lar-weight heparin will undoubtedly replace intravenous unfractionated heparin not only in the treatment of venous thromboembolism but in ot her conditions where heparin therapy is indicated. Whether or not the low-molecular-weight heparins can decrease or eliminate some of the co mplications of unfractionated heparin will depend on the outcome of fu ture clinical trials.