What is Tranexamic Acid ?

                A recent article intended for civilian and military physicians in the journal of the British Royal Army Medical Corps discussed the use of something called TXA in  major trauma cases. I have never administered TXA or Tranexamic Acid, so I was interested as to what this was, and the mechanism of why it works in improving patient outcomes.

               Tranexamic Acid is a synthetic analog of the amino acid lycine. It was discovered in 1962 by Utako Okomoto, a female medical doctor who died in 2016 when she was 98 years old. This drug, which comes in a glass vial, when administered correctly can help to prevent post-partum hemorrhage, deadly episodes of bleeding in those with hemophilia who are having dental procedures, and prevent a fatality due to simple hemorrhage on the battle field or in civilian sourced trauma. It also can be helpful for epistaxis, that severe dripping nosebleed that prior to this needed to be treated by tightly packing the nose and sinus area behind it, by an ER physician or an ENT.  There are also some cases of hemorrhagic menses that can be treated with TXA.

              Those with acquired bleeding disorders which have occurred as a result of ingestion of an anticoagulant of some type may also benefit from this drug. (Heparin or coumadin overdosage patients, for example.)

                There are some side effects, and a potential for seizures, but since 2009, this drug has been on the listing of the World Health Organization's listing of Essential Medicines.  It is also available in oral form.


This is additional information for physicians, nurses, EMTs or anyone who would like to read more about this interesting and exciting drug.

              https://jramc.bmj.com/content/164/3/170?fbclid=IwAR2WMivWOXHyNcLDHwlGApw5BMowx_Mb_U3CdjAkzoyHpd56jAOKGgMPBXg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tranexamic_acid