Direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) such as hirudins and melagatran are currently developed
for antithrombotic therapy. They should possess some advantages over the currently
used low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs). They may also act through an inhibition
of thrombin-induced platelet activation. The antithrombotic effects of DTIs and of
LMWHs were investigated in an ex vivo thrombosis model with human blood in order to
analyze the inhibition of thrombin-antithrombin as well as the platelet factor 4 formation.
The data show that DTIs inhibit both fibrin formation and platelet activation, which
is of clinical relevance especially for melagatran.
Direct thrombin inhibitor - melagatran - low-molecular-weight heparin - platelet factor
4 - thrombin formation