title: [Direct thrombin antagonists].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inhibiting thrombin as a key enzyme of the coagulation cascade is therapeutically useful in thromboembolic diseases. In coronary thrombosis, direct thrombin inhibitors promise to be useful for an efficacious therapy. Hirudin and recombinant or synthetic mimetics like hirulog, argatroban and melagatran have proven their efficacy in clinical studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therapy with direct thrombin inhibitors such as hirudin and analogous substances reduces coronary events. Moreover, the agents are useful for therapy of thromboembolic diseases, especially in the case of heparin induced thrombocytopenia type II.
authors.affiliation: Franz-Volhard-Klinik, Charité-Klinikum der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Berlin-Buch.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lankes
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fleischer
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Gulba
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000991:Antithrombins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D001384:Azetidines; D001596:Benzylamines; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005998:Glycine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D024764:Hirudin Therapy; D006629:Hirudins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010875:Pipecolic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013577:Syndrome; D013917:Thrombin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D000991:Antithrombins; D001384:Azetidines; D001596:Benzylamines; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D006629:Hirudins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010875:Pipecolic Acids; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013449:Sulfonamides; C109573:melagatran; D001120:Arginine; D013917:Thrombin; C031942:argatroban; D005998:Glycine; C074619:bivalirudin