The American journal of medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Incidence of thrombocytopenia in hospitalized patients with venous thromboembolism.
To determine the incidence of heparin-associated thrombocytopenia in patients receiving prophylaxis or treatment for venous thromboembolism. ⋯ Heparin-associated thrombocytopenia is rare among patients aged <40 years and women following delivery. The risk of heparin-associated thrombocytopenia is more duration-related than dose-related, and higher with UFH when used for an extended duration. Our findings and those of the literature suggest that although heparin-associated thrombocytopenia is uncommon, the incidence can be minimized by use of LMWH, particularly if extended prophylaxis or extended treatment is required.