Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0034065 (pulmonary embolism)
 14,979 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Heparin induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a serious and life endangering complication of heparin therapy. It usually occurs after 5-14 days of continuous heparin therapy. It is immune mediated. Heparin, in the affected individual binds with platelet factor 4 (PF-4) and forms a highly antigenic Heparin PF-4 complex which leads to the generation of specific IgG Heparin PF4 antibodies (also called HIT antibodies). HIT antibodies may activate the platelets via Fcy receptor causing the release of highly coagulable micro particles which promote thrombosis--both venous and arterial. However, all patients with HIT antibodies do not progress to HIT with thrombosis (HITT). HIT can present as asymptomatic thrombocytopenia. It can also present with alarming features of venous and/or arterial thromboembolism, for example, pulmonary embolism from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), limb gangrene warranting amputation, cerebrovascular attack (CVA) or myocardial infarction (MI). Rare manifestation of HIT includes necrotizing skin lesion, acute anaphylactoid reaction following IV heparin bolus and acute adrenal apoplexy due to massive adrenal vein thrombosis. The diagnosis is based upon the combination of unexplained thrombocytopenia, demonstration of HIT antibodies, clinical profile and outcome of the case following withdrawal of heparin and administration of non-heparin anticoagulant like Lepirudin, Argatroban or Danaparoid. The choice of alternative anticoagulant depends upon the availability, cost, monitoring facilities and administrative guidelines.
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PMID:Heparin induced thrombocytopenia. 1905 9

Venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism rarely occur in children but are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) mostly affects children with severe underlying conditions and multiple risk factors. Newborns and adolescents are at the highest risk. Standard and low molecular weight heparins and vitamin K antagonists are routinely used for the prevention and treatment of VTE. The new anticoagulants, both parenteral such as argatroban, bivalirudin and fondaparinux and oral such as dabigatran and rivaroxaban, have favourable pharmacological properties, all are approved for clinical use in adults and are currently being investigated in children. Argatroban is the only new anticoagulant licensed for use in children so far. The role of these new anticoagulants as alternative anticoagulants for children remains to be defined. This review focuses on the characteristics of VTE in children and reviews current knowledge on the use of the new thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors in this population.
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PMID:Direct thrombin and factor Xa inhibitors in children: a quest for new anticoagulants for children. 2140 43

Thrombosis due to heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is rare but has a severe prognosis. Its management is not always easy, particularly in old patients with renal insufficiency. A 95-year-old woman was hospitalized for dyspnea. Curative treatment with unfractionated heparin was started because pulmonary embolism was suspected. Disseminated intravascular coagulation was then suspected because of thrombocytopenia, hypoprothrombinemia, hypofibrinogenemia, and a positive ethanol gelation test. The first immunoassay for HIT was negative. On the 12th day of hospitalization, bilateral cyanosis of the toes occurred associated with recent deep bilateral venous and arterial thrombosis at duplex ultrasound. New biological tests confirmed HIT and led us to stop heparin and to start argatroban with a positive clinical and biological evolution. Venous and arterial thrombosis associated with thrombocytopenia during heparin treatment must be considered HIT whatever the biological test results are. Argatroban is a good alternative treatment in the elderly.
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PMID:Successful management of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia using argatroban in a very old woman: a case report. 2353 31