Lovenox Dosages for Adults: Your GoodRx Guide

Lovenox (enoxaparin) is a blood thinner that treats and prevents unwanted blood clots. It belongs to a class of medications known as low molecular weight heparins. And it’s only approved for adults with certain health conditions, such as after hip or knee surgery.

Lovenox is different from most other blood thinners because it’s given as an injection under the skin, not as an oral pill. And sometimes, Lovenox has weight-based dosing that’s determined by your body weight. Below, we’ll review the recommended Lovenox dosages. Keep in mind, your dosage may differ from what’s described based on your personal medical needs.

What’s the typical Lovenox dosage for adults?

The standard Lovenox dosage will differ based on what it’s being prescribed for. You’ll inject Lovenox into the layer of fat just under the skin of your stomach (subcutaneously). Your medical care team will teach you how to inject Lovenox safely before you do it at home on your own. Be sure to follow their instructions and reach out to them if you have any questions about the right way to inject it.

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Pharmacist tip: Repeated injections to the same spot in your belly can cause irritation and scar tissue. This can make injections more painful and impact how well Lovenox is absorbed. It’s best to change the site of your injection with each dose.

Abdominal surgery

If you’ve had abdominal surgery that puts you at risk for blood clots, the recommended Lovenox dosage is 40 mg injected under the skin once daily. You’ll typically receive your first dose 2 hours before your surgery and continue for 7 to 10 days.

Hip or knee replacement surgery

The typical Lovenox dosage after hip or knee replacement surgery is 30 mg injected every 12 hours. In most cases, you’ll inject the first dose 12 to 24 hours after surgery and continue for 7 to 10 days.

An alternate Lovenox dosage of 40 mg once daily for 3 weeks is sometimes used after hip replacement surgery. In this case, the first dose should be injected 9 to 15 hours before surgery.

During severe illness

If severe illness prevents you from being able to get up or move around for a long period of time, the recommended Lovenox dosage is 40 mg injected once daily for 6 to 11 days.

Treating deep vein thrombosis

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a type of blood clot that forms in a major vein, usually in the legs. It can happen on its own or along with a second type of blood clot in the lungs, called a pulmonary embolism (PE). Lovenox’s weight-based dosing is used to determine the dosage for treating DVT.

To treat DVT at home (without PE), the recommended Lovenox dosage is 1 mg per kg of body weight injected every 12 hours. For example, if you weigh 180 lbs (81.8 kg), your Lovenox dosage would be about 82 mg.

If you’re treating DVT with or without PE in the hospital, the recommended Lovenox dosage is also 1 mg per kg of body weight every 12 hours. But a dosage of 1.5 mg per kg of body weight once daily is also an option.

Unstable chest pain or heart attack

The dosage for people experiencing a heart attack will depend on the type of heart attack and other medical factors, like your bleeding risk.

In general, the standard Lovenox weight-based dosing is 1 mg per kg of body weight injected every 12 hours. You’ll inject Lovenox for 2 to 8 days or until you’re sent home from the hospital. In most cases, you’ll also take oral aspirin along with Lovenox.

For a certain type of heart attack or before a procedure to open a blocked artery, you may need an extra dose of Lovenox given into a vein (IV). The hospital staff will administer this dose if needed — it’s not something you can inject yourself.

How do you switch from Lovenox to an oral blood thinner?

In some cases, you’ll switch from injecting Lovenox to taking an oral blood thinner. Here are some general guidelines for how that works.

If you’re switching from Lovenox to a direct-acting oral anticoagulant (DOAC) such as Eliquis (apixaban), in most cases you'll just replace your next Lovenox dose with the oral tablet, and continue taking just the oral DOAC from there.

If you’re switching from Lovenox to warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), it’s a bit more complex. You’ll typically start taking warfarin along with your Lovenox injections for at least 5 days. Your medical care team will monitor your international normalized ratio (INR) during this time, which is a measure of how fast your blood clots. Once your INR is within the goal range for 24 hours, you’ll stop injecting Lovenox.

Keep in mind: Your clinical care team will give you instructions for how to switch from Lovenox to an oral blood thinner that are specific to your situation. Be sure to follow their instructions carefully, even if they differ from what’s described above.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

Certain health conditions may require a different Lovenox dosage.

Dosage for people with kidney problems

Lovenox is mostly removed from the body by the kidneys. So if you have severe kidney problems, you may need a lower Lovenox dosage to prevent levels from going too high.

To prevent blood clots after surgery, hip or knee replacement, or due to acute illness, a Lovenox dosage of 30 mg once daily is recommended. For conditions that use Lovenox weight-based dosing, the recommended dose is 1 mg per kg of body weight once daily. Your clinical care team will let you know if you need a lower Lovenox dosage based on your kidney function.

What happens if you miss a dose of Lovenox?

Take action as soon as possible if you miss a dose of Lovenox. Inject the missed dose right away, unless it's almost time for the next scheduled dose. In that case, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular dosing schedule. Don’t double up on doses to make up for the one you missed. This could raise your risk of bleeding.

If you’re having trouble remembering to take Lovenox on time, try setting an alarm or placing a reminder note somewhere you’ll see it often. A medication reminder app on your smartphone may also help.

What should you do if you take too much Lovenox?

Since Lovenox comes in single-use prefilled dosing syringes, it’s not common to inject more than recommended. But if you give yourself an extra dose of Lovenox by mistake, it can raise your risk of serious bleeding issues.

If you think you’ve injected too much Lovenox, it’s best to seek emergency medical care right away. The blood-thinning effect of Lovenox can be reversed with prompt treatment.

How to save on Lovenox

There are ways to save on the cost of Lovenox, which is available as both a brand-name and generic medication.

• Save with GoodRx. GoodRx can help you save over 90% off the average retail price of the generic version. Generic Lovenox’s price at certain pharmacies is as low as $63.73 for an 8-day supply with a free GoodRx discount.

• Save with patient assistance programs. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, you may be eligible for brand-name Lovenox’s patient assistance program, which offers the medication free of cost.

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Written by:

Justin DeFlorian, PharmD, BCPS

Justin DeFlorian, PharmD, BCPS, is a board-certified clinical pharmacist. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Edited by:

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD

Stacia Woodcock, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She earned her Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of Kentucky and is licensed in New York and Massachusetts.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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