How To Avoid Taking A HIT In The Hospital (NAPSA)—If you or someone you care about is considering surgery, you may find it useful to know what medications may be used in the hospital. For example, for 50 years, the blood thinner heparin has been used to prevent or treat blood clots, which is very important for your physician to prevent or treat. An estimated 12 million people are given this medicine each year. Many people undergoing surgery, however, may not be aware that this medicine can cause a lifethreatening, serious allergic reaction called heparin-induced thrombocytopenia or HIT. Every year, approximately three percent to five percent of patients (360,000 to 600,000 people) develop HIT, which is almost twice the number of new breast cancer cases diagnosed annually. If not detected early and treated promptly, this reaction to heparin can cause complications such as strokes, heart problems, limb amputation, organ damage, skin problems, even death. The good newsis that doctors have discovered alternative blood thinners known as direct thrombin inhibitors that can be used to stop the clotting process and help avoid problems associated with HIT in the event that this side effect occurs. For instance, consider the case of a critical care nurse named Cheryl Cusac, RN, CCRN, MBA, whose arm began to swell seven days after receiving heparin therapy following routine knee surgery: “The fact that I survived wasincredible. My blood began to clot and my body simply was shutting down. My hand had turned blue and my arm had swollen to the shoulder, and was twoto three times its normalsize.” Because of her near-death experience, Cusac is on a new mission—to educate others about the condition that nearly took herlife. HITQ&A 0. Whatis heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)? A. HITis a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction to heparin. Blood clots can form which maylead to serious consequences including loss of o leg, stroke and even death. 0. Whatis heparin? Surgery patients should speak to their doctors about heparininduced thrombocytopenia. She says health care workers should be on the lookout for HIT. “One of my goals is to educate health care workers to be more aware of monitoring the levels of platelets (important blood cells) prior to surgery and to recognize that one cause of platelet count decreases is HIT,” she said. In her hospital, patients are givena questionnaire about their allergies that includes a question about heparin. “HIT is a serious drug reaction found in today’s hospitals, yet frequently, unacceptable delays occur before treatment is initiated. Whenthe signs of HIT are not recognized, and treatment is not initiated speedily, then the outcome becomes progressively worse for the patient,” said Lawrence Rice, M.D., professor of medicine and hematology program director, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. Dr. Rice is an expert on HIT and has many years of experience diagnosing and treating the dis- ease. According to Dr. Rice, “It is very important to stop all heparin exposure when HIT is suspected and to begin therapy with an alternative blood thinner such as a direct thrombin inhibitor to stop the clotting process and to prevent A. Heparin, referred to as a ‘blood thinner,’ is used to prevent bloodclot formation. Q. Whenis heparin used? A. Heparins (unfractionated and low molecular weight heparins) are commonly usedin patients during and/orfollowing medical and surgical procedures ranging from abdominal surgeries to procedures designed to open blocked arteries in the heart. Heparin alsois on important treatmentfor such clotting conditions as deepvein thrombosis. 0. Should | try to avoid heparin? A. No,unless your doctor indicates you are at risk for HIT or other complications associated with heparin. 0. Whatshould | discuss with my doctor about HIT? A. If you had HIT in the past, thenlet your doctor know. Once you have experienced HIT, the doctor will want to help you avoid heparin becausealternative blood thinners areavailable. the formation of new clots.” Only your doctor can decide if you should receive heparin, and he or she can also monitor your therapy to look for a low platelet count or other signs of HIT during heparin therapy. To learn more about HIT, call toll free 1-877-GSK-4HIT for a free Question and Answersheet.
