A cheap and effective drug used in elective surgeries to hinder bleeding can be safely and effectively used in trauma victims as well, says a team of British scientists in the Online First edition of The Lancet. The drug, tranexamic acid, or TXA, inhibits an enzyme that breaks down blood clots.
In a study that included 20,000 patients in 40 countries, the researchers found that use of TXA cut death rates by 15%. An off-patent medication that has many generic manufacturers, the potential applications for the drug, particularly in developing countries, are tremendous. Replication of the study would be required before any major practice changes are made. Read more about the study in this CTV News story and also on MedPage Today.