Postpartum coronary artery dissection complicated by heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis

C S Eby1, L R McBride

  • 1Department of Pathology, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri, USA. eby@labmed.wustl.edu

A 32-year-old woman presented with an acute anterior-lateral myocardial infarction 7 days postpartum. Coronary angiography revealed an occlusive left main coronary artery dissection. After coronary artery bypass surgery the patient's cardiac function improved and stabilized. Thrombocytopenia and a femoral artery thrombosis after 9 days of heparin exposure marked the development of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia and thrombosis that was successfully managed with argatroban, a direct thrombin inhibitor anticoagulant.

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