Thrombocytopenia and low-dose heparin

We present two cases in which thrombocytopenia developed during low-dose heparin therapy. They seem to represent the spectrum of heparin-associated thrombocytopenia described by Carreras. Because of the increasing use of low-dose heparin for thromboembolism prophylaxis, and because patient reexposure to heparin is not uncommon, the identification of even a modest fall in platelet count in association with heparin therapy is important.