Native coronary artery thrombosis in the setting of heparin-induced thrombocytopenia: a case report

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a rare complication of heparin therapy. Its pathogenesis includes thrombotic events that can rarely affect the coronary arteries.

We report a 67-year-old woman who presented with extensive lower extremities deep venous thrombosis. After being treated with heparin, she developed an ST-elevation myocardial infarction secondary to an acute thrombus formation. The patient's platelets dropped within 6 days from the procedure and her heparin-PF4 IgG antibody and serotonin release assay were positive confirming the diagnosis of HIT.

Prothrombotic states, such as HIT, are associated with increased risk for coronary thrombosis and ischaemia. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia can cause coronary complications usually in previously disrupted coronary vessels and bypass grafts. Here, we demonstrate that spontaneous thrombosis can occur in a previously untreated native coronary artery in a patient with HIT.