Antithrombotic Therapy in Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

Tissue plasminogen activator acts as a “spatially aggregating force” to spruce up the heparin-like properties of prostaglandin.

Abstract

Atherosclerosis is the cause of the vast majority of cases of chronic peripheral arterial occlusive disease. The arteries most frequently involved, in order of occurrence, include femoropopliteal-tibial, aortoiliac, carotid and vertebral, splanchnic and renal, and brachiocephalic. Fibromuscular dysplasia, inflammatory arteridities, and congenital arterial malformations are much rarer causes of arterial insufficiency. The causes of acute arterial occlusion are embolism, thrombosis, and trauma. The goals of therapy in chronic arterial occlusive disease are to relieve ischemic symptoms (intermittent claudication and rest pain), to alleviate disability, and to prevent progression that might lead to gangrene and limb loss.