Mechanisms, markers and management of hypercoagulable states.

Information on hypercoagulability can be achieved through the measurement of peptides that are generated when zymogens are activated, of the active enzymes, or of the complexes that form in the circulation when enzymes are inactivated by their plasmatic inhibitors. These assay methods have dramatically improved our understanding of the mechanisms which regulate coagulation in health and disease. However, their choice and use as predictors of thrombotic events and to monitor anticoagulant treatment still need to be defined in prospective clinical trials.