It is used to diagnose blood coagulation disorders and to assess the effectiveness of fibrinolytic therapy.

Blood coagulation disorders (e.g. Hemophilia).

Complications of ongoing seizure activity include increased body temperature, decreases in the pH of the blood (metabolic acidosis), swelling in the brain, blood coagulation disorders, muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), and kidney failure.

Therefore, hirudin prevents or dissolves the formation of clots and thrombi (i.e., it has a thrombolytic activity), and has therapeutic value in blood coagulation disorders, in the treatment of skin hematomas and of superficial varicose veins, either as an injectable or a topical application cream.