Platelet-dependent and procoagulant mechanisms in arterial thrombosis

The results of experiment and clinical studies support the hypothesis that initiation and progression of arterial thrombosis are dependent on a dynami c interaction between platelet- and coagulation-dependent mechanisms. Altho ugh treatment of patients with unstable coronary syndromes acutely with gly coprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors has already been shown to be remarkably effec tive in improving short- and long-term prognosis, strategies that inhibit f actor thrombin and/or Xa activity may also have a role either alone or in c ombination with platelet inhibitors in treating patients with coronary thro mbosis. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.