New antithrombotic strategies: Lessons from clinical trials with glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists and direct thrombin inhibitors

Acute coronary syndromes are caused by coronary artery thrombosis. Given the central role of platelets and coagulation in the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes, aspirin and heparin are the cornerstones of current treatment strategies. Despite their widespread use, however, both agents have limitations in this setting. Thus, aspirin fails to block platelet activation by agonists, such as thrombin, which act through thromboxane A2-independe…