Final answer:
Agents that dissolve already formed clots are called thrombolytics, which include drugs like tissue plasminogen activator (tPA).
Step-by-step explanation:
Agents that dissolve already formed clots are called thrombolytics. Thrombolytics or fibrinolytic are a group of medications used to manage and treat dissolving intravascular clots. They are in the plasminogen activator class of drugs. These agents, like tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), speed up the degradation of blood clots by catalyzing the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, which is the primary enzyme responsible for breaking down fibrin clots. Thrombolytic therapy has to be used with caution since not all strokes are due to thrombi; some can be caused by hemorrhage, hence determining the cause prior to treatment is essential. Research is ongoing for new thrombolytic agents, including compounds isolated from snake venom that may offer therapeutic benefits.