Outcomes of Cardiovascular Surgery Utilizing Heparin versus Direct Thrombin Inhibitors in Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Patients with Previously Diagnosed HIT

The application of new Multiplate analyzer technologies, like the ADP test, have the potential to reduce platelet transfusion rates in cardiac surgery patients compared with the use of platelet counts alone; this point-of-care test may constitute an important strategy to help spare the use of allogeneic blood products. Additional studies are needed to confirm this trend and establish the best cutoff values to apply.