Summary
The amount of anti thrombin III in plasma was determined quantitatively in 218 males
between 45–60 years of age. The mean antithrombin III value was found to be low in
the group with low risk for ischemic heart disease, intermediate in the group with
high risk for ischemic heart disease and highest in the group with acute myocardial
infarction. Concomitant study of kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin time revealed
a sharp decrease in its mean value in the group with acute myocardial infarction.
The high correlation between antithrombin III and kaolin-activated partial thromboplastin
time for the entire population suggests that the development of ischemic heart disease
is a gradual process and that failure of the damping mechanism results as an acute
event. These findings may be useful in the determination of the coagulation state
of these patients.