Diagnosing heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in mechanical circulatory support device patients

Mechanical circulatory support device (MCSD) patients with positive heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) screening pose a unique challenge, as clinicians must make rapid decisions about their anticoagulation and whether they can safely undergo cardiopulmonary bypass. We identified screening practices at our institution and other institutions nationwide that differed from American Society of Hematology (ASH) guidelines. This discovery prompted...