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HIT before 5 days of onset of heparin ?

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  Antonosjn 
#1 ·
A 65-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital on Friday night
with an episode of squeezing, substernal chest pain that
occurred while the patient was watching her favorite TV show.
The pain lasted for twenty minutes and was not relieved by
nitroglycerin. A dobutamine stress echocardiogram was done a
month ago by her private physician, which showed posterior
and lateral wall motion abnormalities. Her past medical history is
significant for diabetes mellitus.
On arrival at the hospital, an EKG shows ST-segment
depression in the lateral leads. She is started on aspirin,
nitrates, beta-blockers, and intravenous unfractionated heparin.
Three sets of cardiac enzymes are negative. A complete blood
count shows a white cell count of 7,800/mm3, a hematocrit of
37%, and a platelet count of 180,000/mm3. The medications are
continued, and she is transferred from the cardiac care unit on
Sunday evening with plans for a coronary angiography the next
day.
On Monday, the patient complains of pain in the right leg. The
physical examination is unremarkable, except for moderate
right-calf tenderness. The venous Duplex shows thrombosis of
the right popliteal vein. Another complete blood count shows:
WBC 9,900/mm3, hematocrit 38.8%; and platelets 45,000/mm3.
The prothrombin time (PT) is 13.6 seconds, INR 1.0, and partial
thromboplastin time (PTT) 68 seconds.
What is your next step in the management of this patient?
(A) Continue unfractionated heparin and start coumadin after the
angiogram
(B) Switch unfractionated heparin to low-molecular-weight
heparin
(C) Immediately stop heparin and remove heparin-coated
catheters
(D) Corticosteroids
(E) Switch unfractionated heparin to lepirudin

he is presenting with HIT after 3 days. this is very rare in HIT. at least 5 days are needed. m confused...:confused:
 
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#3 ·
A 65-year-old woman is admitted to the hospital on Friday night
with an episode of squeezing, substernal chest pain that
occurred while the patient was watching her favorite TV show.
The pain lasted for twenty minutes and was not relieved by
nitroglycerin. A dobutamine stress echocardiogram was done a
month ago by her private physician, which showed posterior
and lateral wall motion abnormalities. Her past medical history is
significant for diabetes mellitus.
On arrival at the hospital, an EKG shows ST-segment
depression in the lateral leads. She is started on aspirin,
nitrates, beta-blockers, and intravenous unfractionated heparin.
Three sets of cardiac enzymes are negative. A complete blood
count shows a white cell count of 7,800/mm3, a hematocrit of
37%, and a platelet count of 180,000/mm3. The medications are
continued, and she is transferred from the cardiac care unit on
Sunday evening with plans for a coronary angiography the next
day.
On Monday, the patient complains of pain in the right leg. The
physical examination is unremarkable, except for moderate
right-calf tenderness. The venous Duplex shows thrombosis of
the right popliteal vein. Another complete blood count shows:
WBC 9,900/mm3, hematocrit 38.8%; and platelets 45,000/mm3.
The prothrombin time (PT) is 13.6 seconds, INR 1.0, and partial
thromboplastin time (PTT) 68 seconds.
What is your next step in the management of this patient?
(A) Continue unfractionated heparin and start coumadin after the
angiogram
(B) Switch unfractionated heparin to low-molecular-weight
heparin
(C) Immediately stop heparin and remove heparin-coated
catheters
(D) Corticosteroids
(E) Switch unfractionated heparin to lepirudin

he is presenting with HIT after 3 days. this is very rare in HIT. at least 5 days are needed. m confused...:confused:
I think E..........
 
#4 ·
Rare but not impossible. (Usually after 5 days, yes)

But here,You have the pre heparin platelet count and the post heparin platelet count and the difference is very clear. In fact in other conditions, this level of thrombocytopenia would be severe enough to require transfusion (but in HITT don't transfuse). You should stop the heparin (fractionated or not) immediately. However the risk of PE is still there and even higher now cos of the DVT so u shd replace the heparin with a thrombin inhibitor such as argatroban or lepirudin.So answer is E.

Again if you look at the options, the question is clearly asking you about the management of HITT and nothing else.
 
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