title: Hirudin and hirudin analogues as new anticoagulant agents.
abstract: Recombinant hirudin and hirudin analogues constitute interesting new antithrombotic agents that have distinct advantages over heparin. These agents specifically inhibit thrombin and all of its actions and also suppress further thrombin generation. As opposed to unfractionated heparin, hirudin and hirulog effectively suppress clot-bound thrombin, making these agents of particular interest in the treatment of arterial thrombosis, for example, following thrombolysis or percutaneous transthoracic angioplasty. The recent data derived from clinical trials supporting the use of hirudin and hirulog in the prevention and treatment of thrombotic diseases are reviewed here.
authors.affiliation: University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Pineo
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hull
mesh_terms: D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000188:drug therapy; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D024764:Hirudin Therapy; D006629:Hirudins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D006629:Hirudins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C074619:bivalirudin