The Prevention of Thromboembolic Complications in Myocardial Infarction by Anticoagulant Therapy

Autopsy records of 151 patients dying of acute myocardial infarction, in a large private hospital, were reviewed. Half of the patients received anticoagulant therapy. Hemorrhage was not a significant cause of death in Dicumarol-treated patients. Embolic complications, often undiagnosed clinically, were of common occurrence. Adequate anticoagulant therapy effectively reduced, not only the total number of emboli, but also the number of serious or fatal emboli. In this role, anticoagulants serve a useful purpose in the treatment of myocardial infarction.