Natural clotting 'switch' may one day reduce reliance on blood thinners to prevent heart attacks and strokes

Cardiovascular conditions such as strokes or heart attacks are among the most common causes of death in Germany.

Today, treatment and prevention are primarily based on so-called platelet aggregation inhibitors and anticoagulants—types of medication commonly referred to as blood thinners.

They inhibit or prevent blood coagulation, which in turn prevents the formation of blood clots and life-threatening medical emergencies such as strokes or heart attacks.

However, by intervening directly in the hemostasis process, they increase the risk of dangerous bleeding. ...