[Thrombocytopenia induced by low molecular weight heparin during hypotensive and diuretic treatment: coincidence or connection?].

A case is reported of a 70-year-old female who presented with early thrombocytopaenia, apparently induced by a low molecular weight heparin. The patient was admitted with anasarca. The initial treatment consisted in digoxin, furosemide, potassium canrenoate and aldactone, and 0.3 ml of Fraxiparine daily, which replaced acenocoumarol. She had never been given any heparin previously. On the fourth day, her platelet count had dropped from 210 G.1-1 to 122 G.1-1, and to 15 G.1-1 on the sixth day. Heparin administration had been stopped on the fourth day, and the platelet count had returned to 141 G.1-1 five days later. Similar cases of such an early thrombocytopaenia have been reported in patients also taking diuretics and hypotensive drugs. However, a relationship between the two facts cannot yet be ascertained.