Subcutaneous versus continuous intravenous heparin for acute deep vein thrombosis

Subcutaneous calcium heparin was compared with continuous intravenous calcium heparin for effectiveness and safety in 103 patients with acute deep vein thrombosis in a randomized trial. Pulmonary embolism, diagnosed by ventilation-perfusion lung scan, was used as the primary indicator of outcome. No statistically significant difference in the occurrence rate of new pulmonary embolism was found for the two routes of heparin administration evaluated nor was there a statistically significant difference in hemorrhagic complications. Subcutaneous calcium heparin may be useful as an alternative to continuous intravenous calcium heparin for effective and safe treatment of patients with acute deep vein thrombosis.