Direct thrombin inhibitors are not equally effective in vivo against arterial thrombosis: in vivo evaluation of DuP714 and argatroban in a porcine angioplasty model and comparison to r-hirudin.

Background: Qualitative differences in antithrombotic efficacy between thrombin inhibitors may be explained by the affinity for which they bind thrombin. This affinity is inversely proportional to the inhibitory constant for the agent (Ki). Thrombin inhibitors, DuP714 (Ki=10(-11)) and argatroban (Ki=10(-8)), were compared to our previous studies with r-hirudin (Ki=10(-13)).