Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In a prospective trial, the prophylactic efficacy of low-dose heparin was investigated in 84 consecutive patients undergoing total-hip replacement. 52 of these were randomly allocated to receive heparin or a combination of heparin and dihydroergotamine (D.H.E.); the remaining 32 patients, who were operated on by one orthopaedic team and did not receive prophylaxis, acted as a control group. The frequency of deep-vein thrombosis (D.V.T.), determined by the 125I-fibrinogen test and venography, was 69% in the control group, 32% in the patients receiving heparin alone, and 16% in those receiving heparin and D.H.E. The difference between the control group and each group receiving prophylaxis was statistically significant. The frequency of femoral-vein thrombi, demonstrated by venography, was analysed separately because of its frequent association with major pulmonary embolism. Femoral-vein thrombi developed in 17 (53%) in the control group, while they developed in only 4 patients (8%) in the prophylaxis group (P less than 0.01). 1 patient in the control group died due to massive pulmonary embolism; in another patient, again in the control group, clinical features suggestive of major non-fatal pulmonary embolism developed. This complication was not observed in patients receiving prophylaxis. There was no difference in the amount of operative or postoperative blood-loss in the three groups. In 3 patients in the entire series wound haematomata developed; all 3 were controls and haematomata developed after the administration of streptokinase or large doses of heparin for the treatment of extensive femoral-vein thrombi. By use of a sensitive assay, heparin could be detected in the plasma in 67% of samples in patients in whom D.V.T. did not develop. In contrast, in those patients in whom D.V.T. developed, heparin could be detected in only 21% of blood-samples (P less than 0.01). It is concluded that in patients undergoing total-hip replacement, low-dose heparin prophylaxis is effective in reducing the frequency of life-threatening extensive thrombi in the femoral vein. Prophylaxis using a combination of heparin and D.H.E. requires further evaluation.
 ...
PMID:Efficacy of low-dose heparin in prevention of extensive deep-vein thrombosis in patients undergoing total-hip replacement. 5 99

While subcutaneous heparin is a standard prophylaxis for death from pulmonary embolism following general surgery, it has been suggested that adding the vasoconstricting drug dihydroergotamine would improve survival compared to heparin alone. Dihydroergotamine may be associated with rare but life-threatening side effects; thus, reduced mortality from pulmonary embolism could be offset by increased mortality from other causes. Because a clinical trial to examine this possibility would be impractical, we performed a cost-effectiveness analysis to evaluate the effects of prophylactic dihydroergotamine on mortality. Based on published data, despite its favorable effects on the prevention of deep vein thrombosis, the addition of dihydroergotamine did not appear to save lives when added to heparin as prophylaxis. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that even if published risk estimates are in error, substantial changes would still not support the conclusion that dihydroergotamine is life-saving. In the absence of clear potential for improved survival, the increased costs associated with dihydroergotamine provide reason to question its routine prophylactic use in general surgery.
 ...
PMID:Two strategies for prophylaxis of fatal postoperative pulmonary embolism. Cost-effectiveness analysis. 212 59

In a prospective study the complications of Heparin-Dihydroergotamine (HDHE) [2,500 units Heparin + 0.5 mg DHE] s c. twice daily as thromboembolic prophylaxis have been studied in patients undergoing a lumbar disc operation. During a two year period 616 patients were operated, 47 patients had to be excluded, 107 patients did not receive HDHE desired by the surgeon; 462 patients received HDHE as described in the protocol. Because the distribution of age, sex, duration of hospitalisation of the 107 patients without HDHE is the same as in the HDHE group, this group can be used as control group. Increased intraoperative bleeding--written down in the operation report--66 patients (14.3%) in HDHE group and 6 patients (5.6%) in the control group. There is no statistic significance between the both groups in superficial and deep wound hematomas, deep vein thromboses or pulmonary embolism. In the HDHE group two death appears. Both patients [a 37 year old, asymptomatic woman and a 65 year old man with mild ischemic symptoms 11 months prior to operation] died because of an acute myocardial infarction. The clinical course and the missing of stenosis or occlusion at autopsy let us think at the possibility of coronary arterial spasm, presumably caused by DHE, as the cause of myocardial infarction. We suggest not to apply HDHE to patients with coronary artery heart disease or with atypical thoracic pain.
 ...
PMID:[Complications of thromboembolic prophylaxis with heparin-dihydroergotamine]. 280 59

Since 1973 a prospective trial of antithrombotic agents for the prophylaxis of deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism was undertaken in 386 high risk patients. Five drugs were employed: 1. A combination of aspirin and dipyridamol (95 patients); 2. Dextran 60 (43 patients); 3. Dihydroergotamine (61 patients); 4. Low dose heparin (63 patients); 5. A combination of dihydroergotamine and low dose heparin (twice daily in 61 patients and three times daily in 63 patients). The patients were investigated by I125 fibrinogen uptake test, phlebography, lung scan and careful clinical evaluation before and after operation. In cases of established thrombosis simultaneous anticoagulation with heparin and coumadin was started. In the first group, 32 (34%) thromboses and three pulmonary emboli were detected of which one patient died. In the dextran group, 24 patients (54%) developed thrombosis and there were no fatal pulmonary emboli. In the low dose heparin group we detected 29 (46%) thromboses and three pulmonary emboli. Only the combination of low dose heparin and dihydroergotamine significantly reduced the incidence of thromboembolic complications-15 (25%) thromboses and no pulmonary emboli. The application of this combination three times a day showed no further improvement but more haemorrhagic complications appeared. Since 1975 no fatal pulmonary emboli have occurred in 720 patients undergoing total hip replacement.
 ...
PMID:Thromboembolism after hip surgery. 616 55

Study of the statistical results of numerous multicentre trials has led the author to propose, as preventive therapy for massive postoperative pulmonary embolism, the employ of 5,000 I.U. of calcium heparin two hours before operation, followed by the same dose every 12 hours until the patient is active enough to be discharged. High risk patients (previous history of thrombo-embolism, malignant affections...) should be given 5,000 I.U. of calcium heparin every 8 hours. Associating dihydroergotamine with the calcium heparin doses enables reduction in dosage of the latter, 2,500 I.U. of the heparin combined with 0.5 mg of D.H.E. being sufficient when given every 12 hours in patients undergoing internal surgery, and 5,000 I.U. combined with 0.5 mg of D.H.E. being required only at 12 hours intervals in high-risk patients.
 ...
PMID:[Prevention of thrombo-embolic disease: current approach (author's transl)]. 732 Jun 40