Recent advances in the status and targets of antithrombotic agents

Cardiovascular diseases associated with intravascular thrombosis are the most common cause of death in both developed and developing countries. Clinical and experimental studies indicate that abnormalities in the normal blood flow, activation of platelets, coagulation cascade or fibrinolysis contribute to the pathogenesis of intravascular thrombosis/thromboembolism. Although the treatment strategy for thrombosis has improved with newer diagnostic and surgical tools, effective antithrombotic therapy with minimal side effects still poses a challenge to scientists around the globe. There has been an intense effort in the last decade to understand mechanisms involved in thrombosis and also to develop novel antithrombotic agents for the treatment and prevention of these disorders. Advanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms of thrombosis has helped in the development of newer and specific experimental models for evaluating the antithrombotic agents with high specificity. These developments are also expected to minimize time and the cost incurred on the newer potential antithrombotic drugs. This review describes various important targets for effective antithrombotic action. Methods for evaluating potential antithrombotic compounds against each target and status of the newer compounds developed in the respective classes are also covered