Treatment of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a practical argatroban dosing protocol for nurses.
Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious complication of heparin therapy that frequently leads to thrombosis. In patients with HIT, heparin should be discontinued immediately, and rapid-acting, alternative anticoagulation should be initiated. Argatroban is a parenteral direct thrombin inhibitor approved for prophylaxis or treatment of thrombosis in HIT. In this article, the recognition and treatment of HIT is discussed, and a practical dosing protocol for argatroban therapy that has been developed and used successfully by the nurses and physicians at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, is presented.
Cypher
Sandy
S
Holy Cross Hospital, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33308, USA. sandy.cypher@holy-cross.com
D000465:Algorithms; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000451:nursing*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D013449:Sulfonamides; D006493:Heparin; D001120:Arginine; C031942:argatroban