Manuscript received May 9, 1994; accepted July 7, 1994. Address correspondence and
reprint requests to Dr. Jeanine M. Walenga, Department of Pathology, Loyola University Med …

The conventional management of thrombotic and cardiovascular disorders is based on the
use of heparin, oral anticoagulants and aspirin. Despite progress in the sciences, these …

The last few years have seen the development of several new anticoagulant and antiplatelet
drugs that are designed to replace the traditional unfractionated heparin and warfarin. Some …

The therapeutic armamentarium of parenteral anticoagulants available to clinicians is mainly
composed by unfractionated heparin (UFH), low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) …

For over 50 years, anticoagulant options for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis have
been limited mainly to traditional agents such as unfractionated heparin and oral vitamin K …

Background Heparin and coumarins have been in clinical use for more than 50 years. Low-
molecular-weight heparins (including a heparinoid), developed 25 years ago, have been …

The clinical targets for which new generations of antithrombotics have been or are currently
under clinical development are those associated with a high risk for thromboembolism,(a) …

Direct inhibitors of thrombin, such as hirudin, are directed against the active site and the
recognition site of thrombin. Because of their low-molecular-weight, they can inactivate …

Thromboembolic disorders continue to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality, resulting
in an increased need for anticoagulant therapy. In recent years, new anticoagulant drugs …

Thrombin plays a central role in thrombogenesis. It activates platelets, converts fibrinogen to
fibrin and activates factor XIII, which then stabilises the fibrin clot. In addition, thrombin …