Definition of Anti-coagulant:
Any substance that, in vivo or in vitro, suppresses, delays, or nullifies coagulation of the blood. Anticoagulant agents include
[Miller-Keane2003].
- those that interfere with the formation of clots (antithrombotics), such as heparin and the coumarin compounds,
- those that are capable of disintegrating thrombi that have already formed (thrombolytics), and such as streptokinase and urokinase.
- A third group of anticoagulants, the antiplatelet agents, prevent the clumping together of platelets, a primary step in the formation of thrombi, especially in the cerebrovascular system. These agents are classified as antithrombocytics and are not to be confused with or used as a substitute for other types of anticoagulants.