The arterial thrombotic process and emerging drugs for its control.

Unabated, the arterial thrombotic process continues to be a major challenge in the management of acute coronary artery disease. Pharmacologic and mechanical revascularization therapies, which have proliferated over the last decade, remain impeded by arterial thrombosis and its clinical sequelae. New antithrombotic drugs aimed at specific points in the arterial thrombotic process offer the potential for substantial improvements in the management of coronary artery disease. The use of these agents as a mainstay of patient care is becoming a reality as controlled clinical studies test their safety and potential benefits.