Protease receptor antagonism to target blood platelet therapies.

Platelet activation and thrombus formation play a central role in ischemic vascular disease. Thrombin, an especially potent physiologic agonist mediating in vivo activation of platelets, acts via a unique family of G-protein-coupled receptors called protease-activated receptors (PARs) with a broad tissue expression. This review focuses on current antiplatelet therapies as well as innovative approaches to targeting PARs in patients with atherothrombotic vascular disease.