Word parts
fibrin/o fibrin, the protein threads of a clot-lysis breaking down
What it means
After a clot has done its job, an enzyme called plasmin breaks down the fibrin threads that hold it together, and the clot slowly dissolves. Thrombolytic drugs, such as alteplase, speed up this process to open a blocked artery in a stroke or heart attack. Pieces of broken-down fibrin can be measured in the blood as the D-dimerDEE-DY-merA blood test that measures a protein fragment released when a blood clot breaks down.Full entry .
At a glance
| Spanish | fibrinólisis |
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Related terms
thrombosis
The forming of a blood clot (a thrombus) inside a blood vessel or the heart.
platelet
A tiny cell fragment in the blood that sticks together at a wound to help form a clot.
anticoagulant
A drug that slows the blood's ability to form clots.
D-dimer
A blood test that measures a protein fragment released when a blood clot breaks down.