Incidence and Prognostic Significance of Thrombocytopenia in Patients Treated With Prolonged Heparin Therapy / Incidence and Prognostic Significance of Thrombocytopenia in Patients Treated With Prolonged Heparin Therapy

Despite widespread heparin use in clinical practice, the associated development of thrombocitopenia is an underrecognized and undertreaded complication. Methods:We analized data from consective hospitalized patients treated with heparin (unfractionated or low molecular weight) for four days or longer to determine the incidence, predictors, prognostic significance, and management of thrombocitopenia, defined as a platelet count less than 150x10/L, reduction in platelet count of 50% or more from teh admission level, or both...