What is a typical VTE prophylaxis dose for enoxaparin?

• A. 1 mg/kg SQ BID
• B. 40 mg IV daily
• C. 30 mg SQ daily
• D. 5000 units SQ daily

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that VTE prophylaxis with enoxaparin uses a much lower dose than full therapeutic anticoagulation. Prophylaxis aims to prevent clot formation without raising bleeding risk too much, so the dose is intentionally small and, in many protocols, given as a fixed daily amount. A common prophylaxis regimen is enoxaparin 30 mg subcutaneously once daily, which provides enough anticoagulant effect to reduce DVT risk after surgery while keeping bleeding risk lower than treatment dosing.

Therapeutic dosing, like 1 mg/kg subcutaneously every 12 hours (or 1.5 mg/kg daily), is used when actively treating a clot and carries a higher bleeding risk. Other regimens such as a higher fixed dose or different schedules can be used in specific settings (e.g., certain orthopedic protocols, renal considerations), but 30 mg daily is a typical prophylaxis dose in many contexts.