title: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.
abstract: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an immune-mediated hypercoagulable disorder caused by antibodies to platelet factor 4 (PF4) and heparin. HIT develops in temporal association with heparin therapy and manifests either as an unexplained thrombocytopenia or thrombocytopenia complicated by thrombosis. The propensity for thrombosis distinguishes HIT from other common drug-induced thrombocytopenias. Diagnosing HIT in hospitalized patients is often challenging because of the frequency of heparin use, occurrence of thrombocytopenia from other causes, and development of asymptomatic PF4/heparin antibodies in patients treated with heparin. This review summarizes our current understanding of the pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnostic criteria, and management approaches in HIT.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. arepa001@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Gowthami M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Arepally
authors.forename: Thomas L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Ortel
mesh_terms: D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006493:Heparin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D010978:Platelet Factor 4 / Q000502:physiology; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010978:Platelet Factor 4; D006493:Heparin