Fondaparinux was just as safe as unfractionated heparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in ischemic stroke, report Dr. C.T. Hackett and co-authors of the department of neurology and Allegheny General Hospital Comprehensive Stroke Center at the University of South Carolina.
In an analysis of 644 acute ischemic stroke patients receiving either fondaparinux or unfractionated heparin (UFH) for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis, major hemorrhages occurred in just 1.2% of patients in the fondaparinux group, compared with 3.7% in the UFH group. This difference was not statistically significant (P = .08). Additionally, there was no significant difference in total hemorrhage (P = .15), intracranial hemorrhage (P = .48), major extracranial hemorrhage, (P = .18) or symptomatic VTE (P = 1.00) between the two groups.
The findings “provide supportive safety data for a prospective trial of extended VTE prophylaxis with fondaparinux in acute ischemic stroke,” the authors wrote.
Read the full article in Thrombosis Research: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.thromres.2014.11.041.