Unstable angina pectoris, acute myocardial infarction, sudden coronary death, but also
the application of coronary angioplasty, are all characterized by acute coronary arterial
damage, activation of platelets and the coagulation cascade, liberation of vasoactive
substances and growth factors. During the last decade, the increased application of
thrombolytic therapy and percutaneous coronary angioplasty have provided us with
better clinical results, but also with new problems. The prevention of thrombotic
occlusion, the efficacy of arterial recanalization, as well as the prevention of early
reocclusion and later restenosis are all subject to increased research efforts.
In the present thesis a model of thrombotic coronary occlusion has been described. In
this model it was demonstrated that two experimental drugs, the stable prostacyclin
analogue iloprost and the thromboxane receptor blocker solutroban, may be useful for
clinical testing to prevent this potentially life-threatening event. Using the same animal
model for coronary thrombosis, it was shown that the addition of the calcium
antagonist nifedipine to a thrombolytic agent, improves myocardial perfusion in the
acute phase of thrombolytic coronary recanalizatio