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Clot Dissolving Agents
These medications are also known as thrombolytic agents or "clot-busters." (thrombus = clot; lytic = dissolving) They are given intravenously in the hospital to rapidly dissolve blood clots. They work best when given early. That is why it is important for patients to get to the hospital immediately if they think they might be having a heart attack.
Uses:
To dissolve blood clots in the following places:
- in the arteries of the heart (causing heart attacks). This reduces damage to the heart muscle and improves the chances for survival of an acute heart attack victim.
- in leg veins (phlebitis).
- in the arteries of the lungs (pulmonary embolus).
- in the brain (causing strokes). Time is of the essence here also. The medication must be given within three hours of the onset of the stroke.
- in artificial heart valves. This may prevent the need for emergency open-heart surgery to treat potentially life-threatening clogging of the valve.
| Chemical name |
Brand names |
| alteplase (tPA, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator) |
(Activase) |
| anistreptlase (anisoylated streptokinase) |
(Eminase) |
| reteplase (mutant tPA) |
(Retavase) |
| streptokinase |
(Kabinase, Streptase) |
| TNKase |
(Tenecteplase) |
| urokinase |
(Abbokinase) |
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