An Evaluation of the Effect of Continuous Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy on the Prognosis of Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Eighty-two patients who survived a myocardial infarct were treated continuously with anticoagulants for periods of 3 to 76 months. Another 88 patients whose treatment with anticoagulants was limited to the acute phase of an infarction and who were observed for similar periods acted as a control group. The group treated continuously exhibits a lower mortality rate with fewer recurrences of infarction. Among the factors subjected to statistical analysis and found to influence the ultimate prognosis unfavourably and which therefore serve as indications for long-term anticoagulant therapy, are a severe presenting attack and a history of previous infarction.

Problems Associated with Long-Term Anticoagulant Therapy

“…Results predominantly favorable in respect to prolonged survival and decreased morbidity have been reported from use of coumarin anticoagulants in these diseases. [1][2][3][4] However, there has not been adequate evaluation of the ease or difficulty with which a satisfactory and practical program of prolonged anticoagulant therapy can be carried out. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate this aspect of anticoagulant therapy in ambulatory patients with vascular and thromboembolic diseases who have been observed during the past 101½2 years.…”