FDA Approves Eisai's Fragmin
Fragmin (dalteparin) is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) that prevents the formation of blood clots.
Fragmin is used together with aspirin to prevent blood vessel complications in people with certain types of angina (chest pain) or heart attack.
Fragmin is also used to prevent a type of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can lead to blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism). A DVT can occur after certain types of surgery, or in people who are bed-ridden due to a prolonged illness.
Fragmin is also used long-term to treat a type of blood clot called venous thromboembolism (VTE) in people with cancer.
Fragmin is a brand name for the drug dalteparin. Fragmin is an anticoagulant used to prevent the formation of blood clots and in treating deep vein thrombosis. It is sometimes used before surgical procedures to decrease the risk of clotting during and after surgery.
Fragmin injection contains the active ingredient dalteparin sodium, which is type of medicine called a low molecular weight heparin. It is used to stop blood clots forming within the blood vessels.
Blood clots normally only form to stop bleeding that has occurred as a result of injury to the tissues. The clotting process is complicated and begins when blood cells called platelets clump together and produce chemicals that activate the clotting process. The final part of this process involves a substance called thrombin being activated to produce a protein called fibrin. Fibrin binds the platelets together, forming a blood clot. This is the body’s natural way of repairing itself.
Sometimes, however, a blood clot can form abnormally within the blood vessels. This is known as a thrombus. It can be dangerous because the clot may detach and travel in the bloodstream, where it becomes known as an embolus. The embolus may eventually get lodged in a blood vessel, thereby blocking the blood supply to a vital organ such as the heart, brain or lungs. This is known as a thromboembolism.
Fragmin® (dalteparin sodium) is a prescription medication approved to prevent blood clots in certain situations. It may also be used specifically for the treatment of blood clots in people with cancer (but not in people without cancer). It is also approved to prevent complications in people who have recently had a heart attack or unstable angina (a type of chest pain that may indicate a heart attack is imminent). Fragmin is taken by injection just below the skin.
