dalteparin vs enoxaparin
Side-by-side comparison of dalteparin and enoxaparin Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Fragmin
Lovenox
Dalteparin (Fragmin) is a type of blood thinner medicine. It helps prevent and treat harmful blood clots.
Enoxaparin (Lovenox) is a type of blood thinner. It helps prevent and treat blood clots.
This medicine can help prevent blood clots in your legs after surgery or during illness with limited movement. It can also treat blood clots in your legs or lungs. Dalteparin can also prevent chest pain caused by heart problems.
This medicine can prevent blood clots from forming after surgery or during illness when you are not moving around much. It also treats blood clots in your veins, with or without a pulmonary embolism (a blood clot in the lungs). Enoxaparin can also help prevent chest pain and heart attacks.
Dalteparin is a low molecular weight heparin. It works by blocking certain proteins in your blood that help clots form. This helps to prevent new clots from forming and keeps existing clots from getting bigger.
Enoxaparin works by blocking certain proteins in your blood that help clots form. This helps to prevent new clots from forming and keeps existing clots from getting bigger. It makes your blood less likely to clot.
- • Bleeding
- • Bruising at the injection site
- • Pain at the injection site
- • Increased liver enzymes
- • Bleeding
- • Low red blood cell count (anemia)
- • Low platelet count (thrombocytopenia)
- • Increased liver enzymes
- • Diarrhea
- Feeling sick to your stomach 675
- Using the medicine for something it's not approved for 659
- Blood clot in the lungs 570
- Difficulty breathing 563
- Throwing up 545
- Shortness of breath 2,369
- Feeling sick to your stomach 2,353
- Using the medicine for something it is not approved for 2,302
- Loose or watery stools 2,244
- Low red blood cell count 2,190
This medicine can cause bleeding around your spine if you get an epidural or spinal tap. This can lead to long-term or permanent paralysis. Tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines that can increase bleeding, like NSAIDs or aspirin.
Enoxaparin can cause bleeding around your spine if you get an epidural or spinal tap. This can lead to long-term or permanent paralysis. Tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines that can increase bleeding, like NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen) or aspirin. Your doctor will monitor you for signs of nerve problems.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This medicine should only be used during pregnancy if clearly needed. Dalteparin passes into breast milk in small amounts, but the effect on the baby is not known.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Enoxaparin may not be safe for your baby. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
How to Read This dalteparin vs enoxaparin Comparison
dalteparin is classified in the Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin drug class, while enoxaparin sits within the Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory — but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, dalteparin has 3,012 submissions while enoxaparin has 11,458. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume — not per-patient risk — so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between dalteparin and enoxaparin — always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.