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Thrombosis Resulting from Heparin Therapy
Author(s) -
Gottschling Lisa L.,
Alaniz Cesar
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
pharmacotherapy: the journal of human pharmacology and drug therapy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.227
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1875-9114
pISSN - 0277-0008
DOI - 10.1002/j.1875-9114.1996.tb02981.x
Subject(s) - heparin , thrombosis , heparin induced thrombocytopenia , medicine , amputation , platelet , intensive care medicine , immune system , surgery , immunology
Heparin is widely used in current practice for a variety of indications. It is well known that it can cause thrombocytopenia, but not that thrombosis may also develop in thrombocytopenic patients and cause significant morbidity and mortality. A 56‐year‐old woman developed heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis that resulted in the amputation of her leg. It is proposed that the reaction has an immune‐mediated mechanism. Several ways of diagnosing the condition are available, specifically the serotonin‐release assay and an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. The investigational agent danaproid may be effective in the treatment of heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis.