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Lovenox
Available by prescription, Lovenox is a drug licensed to treat and prevent blood clots. It can also help prevent problems in people who have recently had a heart attack or certain types of chest pain. This medication comes in an injectable form and is administered just under the skin once or twice daily. Potential side effects may include bleeding, anemia, and low blood platelets.
Lovenox® (enoxaparin sodium) is a prescription medication approved to prevent and treat blood clots. 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 that a heart attack is imminent). It is taken by injection just below the skin.
(Click Lovenox Uses for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
Lovenox is manufactured by sanofi-aventis U.S., LLC.
Lovenox is a low molecular weight heparin medication. Like heparin, Lovenox works to prevent the formation of clots (or the growth of existing clots) by binding to an enzyme in the body known as antithrombin III. In doing so, Lovenox accelerates the activity of antithrombin III. Because this specific enzyme inhibits two clotting factors (known as factor Xa and IIa), Lovenox effectively inhibits these two clotting factors as well. This action helps to reduce clot formation.
Like other "blood thinners," Lovenox does not break down clots. Instead, it slows down clot formation, giving the body a chance to break down the clots naturally.
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD