Safety and efficacy of argatroban in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Argatroban is a synthetic direct thrombin inhibitor. It is indicated for use in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). The greatest experience is in prevention and treatment of the disorder, but argatroban is also indicated for percutaneous coronary interventions in patients with HIT. There is somewhat limited experience with its use in a number of other clinical scenarios in these patients. The current data on the use of argatroban in patients with HIT are reviewed.