Abstract
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare but serious prothrombotic adverse effect of heparin treatment. It is induced by platelet-activating antibodies against complexes of platelet factor 4 and heparin. Diagnosis rests on a clinical assessment of disease probability and laboratory testing. Prompt diagnosis of HIT, discontinuation of heparin use, and subsequent treatment with alternative anticoagulant drugs are essential steps to prevent serious complications such as thrombus formation, limb amputation, and death. In this review, we describe the clinical features of HIT and to summarize the data available for its management.
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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Article Type: Review
J Clin Exp Invest, Volume 5, Issue 1, March 2014, 137-144
https://doi.org/10.5799/ahinjs.01.2014.01.0379
Publication date: 11 Mar 2014
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