Hypothermia: effects on platelet function and hemostasis

Mild therapeutic hypothermia is considered standard care in the treatment of patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. With increasingly more frequent concomitant use of platelet-inhibiting drugs, clinicians must be cognizant of the ramifications of hypothermia on platelet function as part of hemostasis. The effects of hypothermia on platelet function have been studied for more than 50 years, but the results are inconsistent and may be related to the circumstances during which hypothermia is achieved. This review summarizes current knowledge of platelet function during hypothermia and the impact on hemostasis.