Pharmacology of heparins and direct anticoagulants

• Published in: Hämostaseologie Vol. 28; no. 5; p. 400
• Main Author: Alban, S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01.12.2008
• Subjects: Anticoagulants - pharmacokinetics; Anticoagulants - pharmacology; Anticoagulants - therapeutic use; Antithrombins - therapeutic use; Glycosaminoglycans - therapeutic use; Heparin - pharmacology; Heparin - therapeutic use; Humans; Oligosaccharides - pharmacokinetics; Oligosaccharides - pharmacology; Oligosaccharides - therapeutic use; Partial Thromboplastin Time; Polysaccharides - pharmacokinetics; Polysaccharides - therapeutic use; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacokinetics; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Recombinant Proteins - therapeutic use; Structure-Activity Relationship; Thrombocytopenia - drug therapy

For decades, the options for therapeutic anticoagulation were limited to unfractionated heparin (UFH) and vitamin K antagonists (VKA), and their well-known limitations had to be accepted. With the introduction of the various LMWHs, the short- and medium-term anticoagulation could be much improved, b...