Average rate of adverse events (death, limb amputation, and new TEC) per patient day by study interval.

Bar width indicates the mean duration of the observation period per patient in days (d). This shows that patients are at highest risk for new complications from the time of diagnosis of HIT to the start of alternative anticoagulation therapy; cessation of heparin therapy alone is insufficient to prevent further thromboembolism; if there is a strong clinical suspicion of HIT, the patient should be anticoagulated with an alternative drug immediately.