Argatroban

Argatroban is an anticoagulantthat is a small molecule direct thrombin inhibitor. In 2000, argatroban was licensed by the FDAfor prophylaxis or treatment of thrombosisin patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia. In 2002, it was approved for use during percutaneous coronary interventionsin patients who have or at risk for developing HIT.

Argatroban is given intravenously. Argatroban is metabolized in the liverand has a half life of about 50 minutes. It is monitored by PTT. Because of its hepatic metabolism, it may be used in patients with renal dysfunction. (This is in contrast to lepirudin, a direct thrombin inhibitor that is primarily renally cleared).

It is manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline.

Reference

• Di Nisio M, Middeldorp S, Buller HR. Direct thrombin inhibitors. N Engl J Med 2005;353:1028-40. PMID 16148288.

External links

• GlaxoSmithKline's website on argatroban

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argatroban Wikipedia article Argatroban.