[Stabilization of donor blood with thrombin inhibitors]

The content of free calcium ions in stored blood can be maintained by stabilizing it with thrombin inhibitors. With regard to a long-term stabilization of blood or blood plasma, satisfactory results can only be achieved with the competitive synthetic thrombin inhibitor 4-amidinophenylpyruvic acid by adding slight amounts of heparin and by storing it in a cool room. By using hirudin (greater than 50 ATE/ml of blood) the stabilization of blood enables a long-lasting anticoagulative effect to be achieved, such as it is required for the purpose of reprocessing blood to plasma fractions.