Thromboembolic prophylaxis in acute myocardial infarction

The objectives were to identify risk factors for vein thromboembolic diseas e (VTD) among patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to analys e both quantitatively and qualitatively the performed thromboembolic prophy laxis, A cross-sectional study was carried out with all inpatients at the C oronary Unit at our hospital during 1998. The risk factors for thromboembol ism included: inmobilization (79,2%), heart failure (33,2%) and age over 70 years (31%). VTD prophylaxis was performed in 86,9% of the time, Non-fract ioned heparin (NFH) and low molecular weight heparins (LMWH), mostly nadrop arine, were the most commonly used drugs at admission and at discharge, res pectively. Overdosage and underdosage for NFH and LMWH, respectively, were observed. That patients received or not VTD prophylaxis was not influenced by thromboembolic risk factors.