The conglomeration of RBCs and platelets held together by the fibrin forms the clot. After the injury to the damaged artery heals, the clot is no longer needed. The body will then destroy the clot by breaking down the fibrin fiber network that binds the blood products together. This action is performed by a chemical called tissue plasminogen activator (TPA), which is secreted by the endothelial cells within normal blood vessels. To be strictly correct, the TPA itself does not break down the clot but instead initiates a cascade in which plasminogen is activated and becomes plasmin, with then acts on the fibrin breaking fibrin down into fibrin degradation products. The fibrin fibers are cleaved, and the clot is destroyed. All thrombolytic agents facilitate the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin and are therefore known as plasminogen activators

Indications for thrombolysis are ST-elevation in two or more contiguous leads on ECG...
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