Argatroban use in heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

BACKGROUND: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious, life-threatening complication which occurs in 1-3% of patients receiving heparin. Patients with untreated HIT have an up to 50% risk of developing life- and limb-threatening thromboembolic complications. Treatment is based upon clinical suspicion, stopping heparin therapy and initiation of anticoagulation with a rapidly acting alternative non-heparin anticoagulant, such as argatroban-a hepatically excreted direct thrombin inhibitor which is effective in the treatment of HIT. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the pharmacological and clinical data, and discuss the impact of argatroban in the current treatment of HIT. METHODS: A literature search was performed with the aid of Pubmed and Google. Search parameters of 'argatroban', 'heparin-induced thrombocytopenia' and 'treatment' were input into both search engines. CONCLUSION: Argatroban is a safe and effective treatment for HIT. In patients taking other hepatically cleared medications, lower initial doses may have to be used to avoid over-anticoagulation.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

This review summarizes pharmacological and clinical data on argatroban, a hepatically cleared direct thrombin inhibitor, as treatment for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, concluding it is safe and effective, with lower initial doses for patients on other hepatically cleared medications.

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