Antiplatelet drugs or dicoumarol: what is the most effective prophylaxis in occlusive arterial disease?

Abstract

Arterial thromboses lead to disturbances of vital function: myocardial infarction, ischemic cerebral infarction, disorders of peripheral blood flow, nephrosclerosis. Prophylaxis of thrombosis is still an unsolved problem, since diseases caused by thrombosis remain the first cause of death, at least in Western countries. After describing the pathomorphological and pathobiochemical findings, a survey of the literature on prophylaxis of occlusive arterial diseases is presented and the difference between anticoagulants and aggregation inhibitors is pointed out.