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

22892988

DOI

10.1177/1076029612456732

For the public and Northwell Health campuses

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