An in vitro method for detecting latent hyperfibrinolysis or fibrinolysis shutdown in a patient, the method comprising a) subjecting a first blood sample from the patient to a viscoelastic analysis in the presence of a stabilizing agent to stabilize the thrombolytic agent and a low amount of between about 1 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml of a thrombolytic agent, to obtain a low coagulation characteristic value of the patient; b) subjecting a second blood sample from the patient to a viscoelastic analysis in the presence of a stabilizing agent to stabilize the thrombolytic agent and a high amount of between 110 ng/ml to about 1200 ng/ml of a thrombolytic agent, to obtain a high coagulation characteristic value of the patient; c) comparing the low coagulation characteristic value of the patient to a low coagulation characteristic value of a healthy individual or an averaged low coagulation characteristic value of a group of healthy individuals, the low coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual obtained by subjecting a blood sample from a healthy individual to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the low amount of the thrombolytic agent and the averaged low coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals obtained by subjecting blood samples from healthy individuals to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the low amount of the thrombolytic agent, and d) comparing the high coagulation characteristic value of the patient to a high coagulation characteristic value of a healthy individual or an averaged high coagulation characteristic value of a group of healthy individuals, the high coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual obtained by subjecting a blood sample from a healthy individual to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the high amount of the thrombolytic agent and the averaged high coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals obtained by subjecting blood samples from healthy individuals to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the high amount of the thrombolytic agent, and wherein an increase in the low coagulation characteristic value of the patient as compared to the low coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual or to the averaged low coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals identifies the patient as having hyperfibrinolysis and wherein a decrease in the high coagulation characteristic value of the patient as compared to the high coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual or to the averaged high coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals identifies the patent as having fibrinolysis shutdown. a) subjecting a first blood sample from the patient to a viscoelastic analysis in the presence of a stabilizing agent to stabilize the thrombolytic agent and a low amount of between about 1 ng/ml to 100 ng/ml of a thrombolytic agent, to obtain a low coagulation characteristic value of the patient; b) subjecting a second blood sample from the patient to a viscoelastic analysis in the presence of a stabilizing agent to stabilize the thrombolytic agent and a high amount of between 110 ng/ml to about 1200 ng/ml of a thrombolytic agent, to obtain a high coagulation characteristic value of the patient; c) comparing the low coagulation characteristic value of the patient to a low coagulation characteristic value of a healthy individual or an averaged low coagulation characteristic value of a group of healthy individuals, the low coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual obtained by subjecting a blood sample from a healthy individual to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the low amount of the thrombolytic agent and the averaged low coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals obtained by subjecting blood samples from healthy individuals to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the low amount of the thrombolytic agent, and d) comparing the high coagulation characteristic value of the patient to a high coagulation characteristic value of a healthy individual or an averaged high coagulation characteristic value of a group of healthy individuals, the high coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual obtained by subjecting a blood sample from a healthy individual to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the high amount of the thrombolytic agent and the averaged high coagulation characteristic value of the group of healthy individuals obtained by subjecting blood samples from healthy individuals to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the high amount of the thrombolytic agent, and