title: [Bivalirudin and cardiac surgery: two case reports].
abstract: Immune reactions to heparin and in particular heparin-induced thrombocytopenia are not rare and potentially fatal complications of heparin treatment. These conditions are frequently underdiagnosed in cardiac surgery. Moreover, few data are available in the literature about the use of alternative anticoagulants to heparin in this setting. We describe the successful use of bivalirudin in 2 patients with hypersensitivity to heparin who underwent cardiac surgery.
authors.affiliation: UO di Cardiochirurgia, Centro Emostasi e Trombosi, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi, Firenze. sabinacaciolli@tele2.it
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caciolli
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Prisco
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stefano
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004342:Drug Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects; D006629:Hirudins; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006629:Hirudins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006493:Heparin; C074619:bivalirudin