title: Laboratory markers of hypercoagulability.
abstract: Investigations carried out over the last 40 years have demonstrated that coronary artery thrombosis is the critical event underlying myocardial infarction and unstable angina. The existence of a prolonged hypercoagulable state preceding the thrombotic event has been postulated for some time and significant associations have been established between the plasma concentrations of a number of hemostatic variables and the frequency of myocardial infarction. High plasma fibrinogen, factor VII/VIIa, tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor levels have been associated with at least as great a risk of developing myocardial (re)infarction or sudden death as high cholesterol levels, especially in the young. In the last year more sensitive assays have been developed, and they should allow a precise biochemical definition of hypercoagulable states. The significance of these new assays and their role in defining a hypercoagulable state in different conditions are analyzed.
authors.affiliation: A. De Gasperis Cardiology Department, Hospital Niguarda Ca' Granda, Milan, Italy. marcolrossi@hotmail.com
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Merlini
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ardissino
mesh_terms: D000789:Angina, Unstable / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood; D013577:Syndrome; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors