Anticoagulants in Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Last (?) Word

Editorials1 October 1969Anticoagulants in Acute Myocardial Infarction: The Last (?) WordALBERT J. WASSERMAN, M.D., F.A.C.P.ALBERT J. WASSERMAN, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-71-4-855 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptAlthough anticoagulants have been used in the care of patients with acute myocardial infarction for more than 20 years (1), the efficacy of such therapy has remained in doubt. Until recent years such therapy was commonly the only active treatment routinely given to the patient. With the current emphasis on prevention and treatment of arrhythmias (2) a reconsideration of the role of anticoagulants seems advisable. Two recent publications are notable in this regard.Gifford and Feinstein (3) reviewed the methods used in the 27 studies reported in the English-language literature comparing an anticoagulant-treated group with a control group during the...References1. WRIGHTMARPLEBECK ISDCDF: Anticoagulant therapy of coronary thrombosis with myocardial infarction. JAMA 138: 1074, 1948. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. LOWNFAKHROHOODTHORN BAMWBGW: The coronary care unit. New perspectives and directions. JAMA 199: 188, 1967. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. GIFFORDFEINSTEIN RHAR: Critique of studies of anticoagulant therapy for myocardial infarction. New Eng. J. Med. 280: 351, 1969. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. CARLETONSANDERSBURACK RACAWR: Heparin administration after acute myocardial infarction. New Eng. J. Med. 263: 1002, 1960. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. WASSERMANGUTTERMANYOEKEMPRICHARDSON AJLAKBVEDW: Anticoagulants in acute myocardial infarction. The failure of anticoagulants to alter mortality in a randomized series. Amer. Heart J. 71: 43, 1966. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. : Assessment of short-term anticoagulant administration after cardiac infarction. Brit. Med. J. 1: 335, 1969. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. TATLEWIS RJAE: Levels of equivalence for various measurements of coumarin activity. JAMA 180: 744, 1962. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. OWREN PA: Control of anticoagulant therapy. The use of new tests. Arch. Intern. Med. (Chicago) 111: 248, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Medical College of Virginia Health Sciences Division Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Va. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByReduction of Hospital Mortality from Acute Myocardial Infarction by Anticoagulant TherapyUse of Hydrocortisone in the Treatment of Acute Myocardial Infarction 1 October 1969Volume 71, Issue 4Page: 855-856KeywordsAcute myocardial infarctionAnticoagulant therapyAnticoagulantsArrhythmiaPatients Issue Published: 1 October 1969 PDF DownloadLoading ...