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Although many patients develop HIT each year in the United States, individual physicians may not see enough patients to become proficient in HIT diagnosis and management.
Of patients receiving unfractionated heparin, 0% to 10% will develop detectable levels of HIT antibody. Approximately 30% to 50% of patients who form HIT antibodies develop thrombocytopenia. Of patients who develop thrombocytopenia, 30% to 80% develop thrombosis.9
Presently, there is no way to accurately predict which patients at risk for HIT will progress to thrombosis, but the above diagram underscores the importance of prompt diagnosis and urgent treatment of all patients in whom HIT is clinically suspected.



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