Tranexamic acid in cardiac surgery: is there a cause for concern?
The withdrawal of marketing approval for aprotinin resulted in more clinicians administering tranexamic acid to patients at increased risk of bleeding and adverse outcome. The latest in a series of retrospective analyses of observational data is published in Critical Care and suggests an increase in mortality, when compared to data from the aprotinin era, in those patients having surgery when a cardiac chamber is opened. The added observation of an increase in cerebral excitatory phenomena (seizure activity) with tranexamic acid has a known mechanism and questions if such patients should be given this drug.
Royston
David
D
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, Harefield, Middlesex, UB9 6JH, UK. dave@tharg.demon.co.uk
D000818:Animals; D007611:Aprotinin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014148:Tranexamic Acid / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014148:Tranexamic Acid; D007611:Aprotinin