Volume 11, Issue 3: Tranexamic Acid

Tranexamic Acid: Don’t Delay, Give TXA!

You are pondering some advice on tranexamic acid (TXA) – give TXA early in trauma, but what does this really mean? As you consider this a call comes through, ‘car struck cyclist….’ – will you have to put the advice into practice?

CPD Benefit

Tranexamic acid (TXA) belongs to a group of drugs called anti-fibrinolytics and is often used to treat bleeding from trauma and in obstetric cases of post-partum haemorrhage. JRCALC Guidelines 2019 state that where its use is indicated for patients with signs of actual or suspected severe haemorrhage it must be given within 3 hours and is contraindicated after that time.

This article looks at how TXA works and discusses the findings of some of the key studies into its efficacy at stopping bleeding and improving patient outcomes. Possible contraindications are highlighted as well as the effects of treatment delay. This will help you to assess whether your patient meets the TXA inclusion criteria for the service in which you operate and the most effective course of action to take for their treatment.

Assessment Answers

To check your answers to the quiz please see the back page of the issue.