Acronyms need to be exact, and it is necessary to have second I in the one for high-intensity interval training. Done in the morning it’s the best way to get your metabolic rate up for maximum all-day calorie burn, but if you lose the second character it becomes HIT and in the medical community that’s something entirely different and not at all related to weight loss. H stands for Heparin, a blood thinner medication that is needed for many people. So what is HIT heparin induced thrombocytopenia?  

Let’s start with the condition and provide an understanding for thrombocytopenia. It is the  term for when a person has a low blood platelet count. That can occur for any number of reasons, but with Heparin use the body’s immune system makes platelets clump together and the risk of blood clots becomes a concern. There are two types of HIT, and it’s only if a person has HIT II thrombocytopenia that they may get blood clots from their medication use. That’s an important distinction to make with what is heparin induced thrombocytopenia.  

It is a condition that is more commonly seen in women over 40 and women on the DLD diet may experience blood problems of all type more often, including thrombocytopenia. This is something a doctor will discuss with you related to what is HIT heparin induced thrombocytopenia and if you need to be on blood thinner medications like Heparin. They will also likely advise you that HIT doesn’t happen very often for people as it is. Estimates are that only around 5% of people who take heparin for more than four days will be at risk of thrombocytopenia.  

On the Lookout

There will be instances where a person’s doctor don’t think they’re especially at risk and will prescribe Heparin for them. Doctor always knows best, but along with what is HIT heparin induced thrombocytopenia it may be good for people to know what symptoms to look for if the risk was underestimated for them. If it’s in the leg then it’s quite possible you have deep vein thrombosis, and if there’s a warmth sensation radiating from the reddened skin this is even more of an indication.  

Other possible signs are tachycardia (accelerated heartbeat), feeling faint or lightheaded, or chest pains. You can start with seeing if there’s pain, swelling, or redness in your arm or leg. There is such a thing as delayed onset HIT too, which is when you might start seeing these signs 5 days or more after you’ve stopped taking the medication. If this is the case for someone who’s been taking it to prevent blood clots after surgery then it is going to be imperative to get back into see a doctor as soon as possible. That’s another important consideration with what is HIT heparin induced thrombocytopenia.