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Previous Volume 292:1362-1366 June 26, 1975 Number 26 Next

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Abstract

During a state-wide retrospective study of myocardial infarction discharges from Maryland hospitals from July, 1966, through June, 1967, the relation of in-hospital case fatality rates to use of anticoagulants was examined in 1,156 patients. In patients who did not receive anticoagulants, the rate was 2.5 times that of those who did (p less than 0.0001). A large difference in case fatality rates between the anticoagulant and no-anticoagulant groups persisted when the data were analyzed by demographic and medical-care variables. When patients were classified according to clinical characteristics relating to prognosis, including arrhythmia, congestive heart failure and shock, the difference between the groups were also demonstrated. Although such a retrospective study cannot demonstrate conclusively the value of anticoagulant therapy, the data are sufficiently suggestive of a beneficial effect to warrant reopening the anticoagulant question.

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hirsh, J., Cairns, J. A. (1987). Analytic Reviews : Antithrombotic Tberapy in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Unstable Angina. J Intensive Care Med 2: 299-312  
• Gordis, L, Gold, E (1980). Privacy, confidentiality, and the use of medical records in research. Science 207: 153-156