A quest for the relief of atherosclerosis: potential role of intrapulmonary heparin--a hypothesis.

Recent progress in the treatment of coronary artery disease is reviewed from the standpoint of changes in lifestyle, surgical techniques to revascularize the myocardium and a variety of medical interventions. Among the medical modalities, heparin appears to have a greater potential than any other agent tested to neutralize the atherogenic process at most of its stages. This potential is supported by success in clinical trials of heparin administered by intravenous, subcutaneous, pulmonary, sublingual and topical routes. The suggested self-administration of low-dose heparin by inhalation appears to be well justified and easily adaptable to home therapy. The summarized evidence suggests the need for further clinical trials to test the use of heparin in the prophylaxis of atherosclerotic disease.