Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9184603 | Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery | 2005 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) type II is an immune mediated reaction in which pathologic antibodies develop to a complex composed of heparin and the platelet-derived alpha granule protein, platelet factor 4 (PF4). HIT must be recognized quickly so as to eliminate all heparin exposure from a patient's clinical care. Thrombosis (HITT) may accompany thrombocytopenia resulting in limb and life-threatening complications. Despite a higher incidence of subclinically detectable heparin-PF4 antibody formation in the cardiac care setting, the development of the full clinicopathologic syndrome occurs in approximately 2% to 3% of patients, similar to the incidence in other clinical scenarios.
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Authors
Eleanor S. Pollak, Charles S. Abrams,