Thrombus Treatment Options: Anticoagulants, Thrombolytics & Surgery

Medical treatment

- Anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as heparin or warfarin to prevent the thrombus from enlarging and

causing further complications.

- Thrombolytic therapy (clot-busting drugs) such as alteplase (Activase) or streptokinase to dissolve the thrombus and restore blood flow.

- Antiplatelet agents (blood-platelet aggregation inhibitors) such as aspirin or clopidogrel (Plavix) to reduce the risk of platelet aggregation and thrombus formation.

Surgical treatment

- Thrombectomy: surgical removal of the thrombus from the blood vessel.

- Bypass surgery: creating a new pathway for blood to flow around the blocked blood vessel.

- Endarterectomy: surgical removal of the plaque and other debris from the inside of an artery.

- Angioplasty and stenting: a balloon is inflated inside the blocked artery to widen it, and then a stent is placed to keep the artery open.