Significance of antithrombotic effect in drug therapy of the chronic arterial occlusive disease.

In chronic arterial occlusive disease hypercoagulability and deterioration of blood rheology are detectable. The flow rates of erythrocytes through microvessels are distinctly reduced when typical risk factors and hypercoagulability phenomena are present, yet they are normalized upon removal of risk factors such as hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and hyperfibrinogenaemia. It can be concluded from haemostasiological and rheological findings that for an effective treatment of peripheral occlusive arterial disease drugs with rheologic and antithrombotic properties should be preferably used. Oral longterm pentoxifylline treatment in high dose increases blood flow in microvessels by improvement of erythrocyte flexibility, diminishes furthermore platelet hyperactivity, counteracts hypercoagulability in the plasmatic coagulation system and increases the fibrinolytic capacity of blood.