The anticoagulant therapy with bivalirudin to assist in the performance of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (ATBAT) study: main results.

Up to 5% of patients given heparin develop heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT). These patients may need anticoagulation for acute coronary syndromes (ACS) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a clinical challenge given the limited alternatives. In a prospective, open-label study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of bivalirudin in patients with HIT or HIT with thrombotic syndrome (HITTS) undergoing PCI.