Lepirudin is a "blood thinner" (anticoagulant) used to treat patients who have developed a reaction to another type of anticoagulant (such as patients with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia).

It is also used along with antiplatelet therapy (e.g. aspirin) to treat worsening angina/chest pain and certain types of heart attacks such as Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS).

Mechanism:

Lepirudin belongs to a group of medicines known of as hirudins. Lepirudin is a synthetic version of the substance that leeches inject into flesh when biting to prevent blood clotting. When blood begins to clot, a complicated cascade of chemicals is activated within the body. This results in the formation of a protein called thrombin. Thrombin is central for the complete process of blood clotting. Lepirudin acts to directly inhibit thrombin by binding to it and so interfering with the blood clotting process. Lepirudin is used as an alternative to heparin (a more commonly used anti-clotting medicine) for people who have developed a blood disorder due to heparin.

 

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