Title
The Management of Suspected Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia in US Hospitals
Publication Date
2014
Journal Title
Clin Appl Thromb Hemost
Abstract
Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) vary between hospitals. Recent guidelines recommend initiating alternative anticoagulant therapy in patients with suspected HIT while awaiting laboratory test results confirming the presence of heparin-PF-4 antibodies (PF-4). This retrospective chart review was designed to assess the current state of management of patients with thrombocytopenia suspected to be due to HIT at 26 US hospitals. Most hospitals (25 of 26; 96.2%) had guidelines in place for the management of suspected HIT, with 7 (26.9%) having a halt heparin, test, and await results (ie, test and wait) policy. One-third of hospitals had a wait time for obtaining PF-4 antibodies of 3 days or more. Hospital guidelines for the management of HIT may actually discourage the use of optimal HIT management strategies.
Volume Number
20
Issue Number
1
Pages
68-72
Document Type
Article
Status
Faculty
Facility
School of Medicine
Primary Department
Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine
PMID
DOI
10.1177/1076029612456732