Enoxaparin Prevents Death and Cardiac Ischemic Events in Unstable Angina/Non–Q-Wave Myocardial Infarction

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Abstract
Background—Low-molecular-weight heparins are attractive alternatives to unfractionated heparin (UFH) for management of unstable angina/non–Q-wave myocardial infarction (UA/NQMI). Methods and Results—Patients (n=3910) with UA/NQMI were randomized to intravenous UFH for ≥3 days followed by subcutaneous placebo injections or uninterrupted antithrombin therapy with enoxaparin during both the acute phase (initial 30 mg intravenous bolus followed by injections of 1.0 mg/kg every 12 hours) and outpatient phase (injections every 12 hours of 40 mg for patients weighing <65 kg and 60 mg for those weighing ≥65 kg). The primary end point (death, myocardial infarction, or urgent revascularization) occurred by 8 days in 14.5% of patients in the UFH group and 12.4% of patients in the enoxaparin group (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.00; P=0.048) and by 43 days in 19.7% of the UFH group and 17.3% of the enoxaparin group (OR 0.85; 95% CI 0.72 to 1.00; P=0.048). During the first 72 hours and also throughout the entire initial ho...