Therapy
The most important step in therapy is the immediate discontinuation of heparin if type II HIT is suspected. Also all other drugs containing heparin must not be used any further to prevent possible complications. These include ointments or catheter irrigations containing heparin.
The anticoagulant therapy must be changed to non-heparin-based substances in order to treat the underlying disease and, above all, to avoid the circulatory disorders caused by HIT. The agent Argatroban (Argatra) is usually used for this purpose. The drug Danaparoid can also cause an allergic reaction due to its structural similarity to heparin.
Therefore, it should be clarified before use whether the antibodies that have triggered the HIT also react with Danaparoid. If HIT has already caused severe thrombosis, fibrinolysis may be necessary. This means that the blood clots are dissolved by medication. In order to prevent a recurrence of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, the allergy to heparin should be entered in the patient’s identity card or allergy passport and should not go unmentioned in new hospital or doctor’s appointments.
Note
For general information on the topic of medicinal thrombosis prophylaxis (heparins), please refer to the page on: Medicinal thrombosis prophylaxis
