n. an *anticoagulant present in the salivary glands of *leeches and in certain snake venoms that prevents *blood coagulation by inhibiting the action of the enzyme *thrombin. The anticoagulant bivalirudin is a genetically engineered form of hirudin from the medicinal leech. It is administered by intravenous injection and infusion, in combination with aspirin and clopidogrel, to treat patients with S–T elevation *myocardial infarction who are undergoing primary *percutaneous coronary intervention.... hirudin
Health Encyclopedia