USE OF HEPARIN AND DICUMAROL IN THE ACTIVE TREATMENT OF THROMBOEMBOLISM

ADVANCE in recent years in the knowledge of the blood coagulation mechanism and methods for its control has been a major stimulus to investigators in the field of thromboembolism. Reports of the reduction of its incidence postoperatively with the prophylactic use of anticoagulants¹ and the lowering of the mortality rates and complications in coronary thrombosis² have been encouraging. Once a thrombosis develops, the favorable effect of anticoagulants would appear to be a prevention of the spread of the lesion and of the formation of loose clots easily dislodged from the parent thrombus. In addition, recent work³ suggests an increase in the arterial blood flow from administration of dicumarol® and, to a less extent, heparin. There is evidence at present to indicate that the newly discovered prothrombin accelerator factor⁴ is increased early in the thrombotic process,⁵ and two groups of workers have found it to be