Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 5, 2025

A Thrombotic Stroke Model Based On Transient Cerebral Hypoxia-ischemia
Published on: August 18, 2015
Ischemic Stroke Due to Heparin-induced Thrombocytopenia during Severe COVID-19 Infection
Yasutaka Murakami1, Shuhei Okazaki1, Makoto Yamamoto2
1Department of Neurology, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
A 53-year-old woman with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia was admitted and treated with intravenous unfractionated heparin for thromboprophylaxis under general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. She developed right hemiparesis after hospitalization due to a large hemorrhagic infarction. Her platelet count decreased from 243,000/μL at administration to 121,000/μL. Anti-platelet factor 4-heparin antibody testing was positive according to a latex immunoturbidimetric assay. She was therefore diagnosed with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. We immediately stopped the heparin and started argatroban; the platelet count recovered, and thrombosis did not relapse. Physicians should consider heparin-induced thrombocytopenia as a cause of ischemic stroke in patients with COVID-19 infection.
A 53-year-old woman with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia was admitted and treated with intravenous unfractionated heparin for thromboprophylaxis under general anesthesia with mechanical ventilation. She developed right hemiparesis after hospitalization due to a large hemorrhagic infarction. Her platelet count decreased from 243,000/μL at administration to 121,000/μL. Anti-platelet factor 4-heparin antibody testing was positive according to a latex immunoturbidimetric assay. She was therefore diagnosed with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. We immediately stopped the heparin and started argatroban; the platelet count recovered, and thrombosis did not relapse. Physicians should consider heparin-induced thrombocytopenia as a cause of ischemic stroke in patients with COVID-19 infection.
More Related Videos
09:35A Mouse Model of Hemorrhagic Transformation Induced by Acute Hyperglycemia Combined with Transient Focal Ischemia
Published on: November 15, 2024
09:14Pre-Chiasmatic, Single Injection of Autologous Blood to Induce Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in a Rat Model
Published on: June 18, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Anticoagulant Drugs: Low-Molecular-Weight Heparins
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care
Anticoagulant Drugs: Vitamin K Antagonists and Direct Oral Anticoagulants
Warfarin, a prominent vitamin K antagonist family member, exerts its effect by inhibiting the enzyme VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1). By hindering this enzyme, warfarin...
Pulmonary Embolism II: Diagnostic Studies and Interprofessional Care
Disorders of Hemostasis
Thromboembolic Disorders
Two factors primarily cause thromboembolic conditions.
Venous Thrombosis I: Introduction