ANTICOAGULANTS IN ISCHEMIC HEART-DISEASE

The results of a survey of 239 teaching hospitals reveal that despite the many previous studies demonstrating an apparent benefit of anticoagulants in the various phases of ischemic heart disease, 3/4 of the coronary care units of American and British teaching hospitals do not consider the evidence of benefit sufficient to justify the routine anticoagulation of patients with acute myocardial infarction. Likewise, over 95% find routine long-term anticoagulation after myocardial infarction unjustified. After many inconclusive studies, the consensus was to look for a better alternative to anticoagulant therapy.