Pharmacia's Fragmin After Bypass Grafting

Pharmacia's low molecular weight heparin Fragmin (enoxaparin) is superior to aspirin and dipyridamole in maintaining femoropopliteal graft patency in patients with critical limb ischemia undergoing salvage surgery, and the treatment may have considerable cost benefits, according to a study published in the Lancet (October 1).

LMWH has theoretical advantages over the combination because it has better antithrombotic effects and antiproliferative activity on vascular smooth muscle cells. The researchers note that according to their data, LMWH would prevent 37 graft failures in every 100 patients.