title: New anticoagulant drugs.
abstract: Arterial and venous thrombosis are major causes of morbidity and mortality. Arterial thrombosis is the most common cause of myocardial infarction, stroke, and limb gangrene. Venous thrombosis leads to potentially fatal pulmonary embolism and to post-phlebitic syndrome. Because arterial thrombi consist of platelet aggregates held together by small amounts of fibrin, strategies to inhibit arterial thrombogenesis focus mainly on blocking platelet function, but often include anticoagulants to prevent fibrin deposition. Anticoagulants are used for the prevention and treatment of venous thrombosis because venous thrombi consist mainly of fibrin and red blood cells. This paper (1) reviews arterial and venous thrombogenesis, (2) outlines new anticoagulant strategies, and (3) provides clinical perspectives on these new strategies.
authors.affiliation: Hamilton Civic Hospitals Research Center and McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8V 1C3, Canada. jweitz@thrombosis.hhscr.org
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Weitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors