medication

tissue-type plasminogen activator

a natural protein, found in the body and now able to be manufactured by genetic engineering ( see ALTEPLASE ), that can break up a thrombus (see THROMBOLYSIS ). It requires the presence of FIBRIN as a cofactor and is able to activate PLASMINOGEN on the fibrin surface, which distinguishes it from the other plasminogen activators, STREPTOKINASE and UROKINASE .

Alteplase is used to dissolve blood clots that have formed in blood vessels. It is used to reduce the risk of death or heart problems in people having a heart attack and to treat patients with symptoms of a stroke or a clot in the lung(s). Alteplase is in a class of medications called thrombolytics. It works by helping the body to dissolve blood clots.

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Source: mediLexicon corpus · slug tissue-type-plasminogen-activator

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tissue-type plasminogen activator

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