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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2019 Dec 5.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Drug Targets. 2017;18(12):1329–1344. doi: 10.2174/1389450118666170329152305

Figure 2. Fibrinolysis and the action of fibrinolytic agents.

Figure 2.

Fibrinolysis is the breakdown of fibrin to fibrin degradation products. This reduces clot formation and increases bleeding. The body maintains a balance between coagulation and fibrinolysis to prevent excessive clotting or bleeding. Recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) mimics the action of naturally occurring tPA in activating plasminogen to plasmin, which catalyzes fibrin breakdown, increasing bleeding.

FXIIIa = Activated Factor XIII