II. Indications
- Life-Threatening Hemorrhage (first 3 hours)
- Some EMS services are initiating Tranexamic Acid in the field (esp. >45 min from Level I Trauma)
- rTEGLy30 (Lysis Time) >3% in first 3 hours after injury
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (Anticoagulant Reversal)
- Massive Hemorrhage with refractory bleeding and cardiovascular collapse
- Acute Localized Bleeding
- Menorrhagia Management (taken orally)
- Refractory Epistaxis (topical to nares atomized)
- Control of Hemorrhage after Tonsillectomy (gargled)
- Dental procedure bleeding (topical to Gingiva)
- Hemoptysis
- Intraoperative bleeding management (e.g. CABG, Liver Transplant, THA, TKA)
- Prophylaxis of bleeding
- Tooth Extraction in patients with Hemophilia or other Coagulopathy
III. Contraindications
- Hypersensitivity to Tranexamic Acid
- Not approved for pediatric Hemorrhage
- Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
- Thromboembolism (venous or arterial)
- Concurrent thrombosis management
- Concurrent Seizure activity
- Concurrent factor concetrate (Cryoprecipitate) administration
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation
- Macroscopic Hematuria
- Color Blindness (TXA is associated with Vision changes in this cohort)
- Exercise caution with those on Oral Contraceptives (venous thrombosis risk)
IV. Background
- Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is a synthetic derivative of the Amino AcidLysine
- Tranexamic Acid-like agents are found in tea
- Hence the reason tea bags may be used topically to slow dental bleeding
V. Mechanism
- Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is an antifibrinolytic that prevents plasminogen activation
- TXA reversibly attaches and blocks at the plasminogen Lysine binding site
- Plasmin may still be formed by endogenous tPA, but the plasmin formed is inactive
- Fibrin clot is therefore stabilized by preventing plasmin mediated Fibrinolysis
VI. Pharmacokinetics
- Excreted in urine unchanged
- Half-Life: 2 hours
- No dose adjustment needed in hepatic or renal disease
VII. Dosing: Tranexamic Acid for Life Threatening Hemorrhage
- Tranexamic Acid (TXA) concentration: 100 mg/ml in 10 ml vial
- Adults
- Initial: Tranexamic Acid (TXA) 1 g over 10 minutes
- Maximum infusion rate 100 mg/min to prevent Hypotension
- If Hypotension occurs, extend infusion to 20 minutes
- Next (if Serum Creatinine <3 g/dl)
- Tranexamic Acid Infusion at 1 g (10 ml) in 250 ml NS infused at 32 ml/h over 8 hours OR
- Repeat dose 1 g over 10 minutes at 8 hours after first
- Hospital administration
- Add 1 g TXA (10 ml) to 50 ml bag NS
- Prehospital administration
- EMS dilutes 10 ml TXA in 50 ml Normal Saline bag
- Runs via 10 cc/ml tubing at 1 drip/second
- Initial: Tranexamic Acid (TXA) 1 g over 10 minutes
- Child:
- Bolus: 15 mg/kg up to 1000 mg over 10 minutes
- Infusion: 2 mg/kg/h for 8 hours or until bleeding stops
- Safe and effective in children
VIII. Dosing: Routine Uses (ambulatory or prophylactic)
- Prophylaxis before Tooth Extraction in Hemophilia
- Immediately before surgery
- Tranexamic Acid 10 mg/kg IV
- Following surgery
- Tranexamic Acid 10 mg/kg orally three to four times daily for 2-8 days
- (2014) Tarascon Pharmacopoeia
- Immediately before surgery
- Oral (Lysteda for Menorrhagia)
- Take two 650 mg tabs (1.3 g) orally three times daily for the first 5 days of the Menstrual Cycle
- More expensive than other options for Menorrhagia
- Topical (using IV form, experimental, not FDA approved)
- Epistaxis
- Tranexamic Acid IV form applied topically to nasal septum (e.g. cotton pledgets, atomizer, rhino rocket)
- Zahed (2013) am j emerg med 31(9): 1389-92 [PubMed]
- Dental Procedure Bleeding
- Local bleeding control for patients on Perioperative Anticoagulation
- Postoperative Bleeding after Tonsillectomy
- Gargled Tranexamic Acid (TXA) 5% Mouthwash
- Prepare Tranexamic Acid (TXA) 5% Mouthwash
- Tranexamic Acid (TXA) is available in 1000 mg/10 ml vials that contain 10 ml
- Prepare 2 small cups each of 5 ml TXA (500 mg) and 5 ml cold water (10 ml of diluted TXA per cup)
- Alternatively a 500 mg TXA tablet may be dissolved in 10-15 ml water
- Instructions
- Have patient gargle 10 ml for 1-2 minutes and then gently spit out solution
- May repeat again in 10-15 minutes
- References
- Epistaxis
IX. Efficacy: Life-Threatening Hemorrhage (SAH, Massive Hemorrhage, Trauma)
- Most effective when given in first hour of severe Hemorrhage
- Unlikely to offer benefit at 3 hours or longer from Hemorrhage onset and may be harmful
- Inexpensive ($100) when compared with other measures used in Hemorrhage Management
- References
- CRASH-2
- Small mortality benefit if used in first hour of refractory Hemorrhage and surgery delayed
- NNT 67 with a 1.5% all-cause mortality reduction at 28 days (and no significant adverse effects)
- No increased risk of Venous Thromboembolism
- (2010) Lancet 376(9734): 23-32 [PubMed]
- Roberts (2011) Lancet 377(9771):1096-101 [PubMed]
- CRASH-3
- Head Injury Related Mortality decreased 1.5% (but no change in all-cause mortality)
- (2019) Lancet 394(10210):1713-23 +PMID:31623894 [PubMed]
- Number Needed to Treat in the most seriously bleeding patients: 7
- Postpartum Hemorrhage
- No significant benefit of TXA
- Decreased Hemorrhage related mortality 0.4% (but no change in all cause mortality)
- (2017) Lancet 389(10084):2105-16 +PMID:28456509 [PubMed]
- CRASH-2
X. Efficacy: Localized Bleeding
-
Menorrhagia
- More effective than NSAIDs
-
Hemoptysis
- Inhaled Tranexamic Acid is assoicated with faster resolution of mild to moderate Hemoptysis
- Wand (2018) Chest 154(6):1379-84 +PMID: 30321510 [PubMed]
-
Epistaxis
- TXA is superior to Lidocaine with Epinephrine (limited data to small studies)
XI. Adverse Effects
- Thrombosis risk (no longer considered a risk)
- Initial study concern
- Follow-up studies demonstrated no significant increased risk of thrombosis (DVT, PE)
- Increased thrombosis risk may occur in Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC)
-
Hypotension (Intravenous TXA)
- Avoid rapid TXA rapid IV injection
- Nausea or Vomiting
- Vision change (Blurred Vision, altered color Vision)
- Diarrhea
- Back pain
- Myalgias
- Headache
XII. Drug Interactions
-
Prothrombin Complex Concentrate
- Co-administration with TXA may increase thrombosis risk
- Factor 9 Complex Concentrate
- Co-administration with TXA may increase thrombosis risk
XIII. Safety
- Pregnancy Category B
XIV. References
- (2016) CALS Manual, 14th ed, 1:69
- Mell in Herbert (2015) EM:Rap 15(1): 1-2
- Freeman and Bourland (2021) Crit Dec Emerg Med 35(12): 3-11
- Lovecchio (2017) Crit Dec Emerg Med 31(9):24
- Pescatore and Swaminathan in Herbert (2021) EM:Rap 21(4): 14-5
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Related Studies
tranexamic acid (on 12/21/2022 at Medicaid.Gov Survey of pharmacy drug pricing) | ||
TRANEXAMIC ACID 650 MG TABLET | Generic | $1.55 each |
Ontology: Tranexamic Acid (C0040613)
Definition (NCI) | A synthetic derivative of the amino acid lysine with antifibrinolytic activity. With strong affinity for the five lysine-binding sites of plasminogen, tranexamic acid competitively inhibits the activation of plasminogen to plasmin, resulting in inhibition of fibrinolysis; at higher concentrations, this agent noncompetitively inhibits plasmin. This agent has a longer half-life, is approximately ten times more potent, and is less toxic than aminocaproic acid, which possesses similar mechanisms of action. |
Definition (MSH) | Antifibrinolytic hemostatic used in severe hemorrhage. |
Definition (PDQ) | A synthetic derivative of the amino acid lysine with antifibrinolytic activity. With strong affinity for the five lysine-binding sites of plasminogen, transexamic acid competitively inhibits the activation of plasminogen to plasmin, resulting in inhibition of fibrinolysis; at higher concentrations, this agent noncompetitively inhibits plasmin. This agent has a longer half-life, is approximately ten times more potent, and is less toxic than aminocaproic acid, which possesses similar mechanisms of action. Check for "http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?id=453549&idtype=1" active clinical trials or "http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?id=453549&idtype=1&closed=1" closed clinical trials using this agent. ("http://nciterms.nci.nih.gov:80/NCIBrowser/ConceptReport.jsp?dictionary=NCI_Thesaurus&code=C47765" NCI Thesaurus) |
Concepts | Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109) |
MSH | D014148 |
SnomedCT | 109006003, 386960009 |
English | AMCA, AMCHA, t-AMCHA, Tranexamic Acid, trans-4-(Aminomethyl)cyclohexanecarboxylic Acid, Cyclohexanecarboxylic acid, 4-(aminomethyl)-, trans-, Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acid, 4-(aminomethyl)-, trans-, tranexamic acid, Tranhexamic Acid, tranexamic acid (medication), Tranexamic Acid [Chemical/Ingredient], amca, amcas, acid tranexamic, TRANEXAMIC ACID, Tranexamic acid, Tranexamic acid (product), Tranexamic acid (substance) |
Swedish | Tranexamsyra |
Czech | kyselina tranexamová |
Finnish | Traneksaamihappo |
Russian | TRANEKSAMOVAIA KISLOTA, AMCHA, ТРАНЕКСАМОВАЯ КИСЛОТА |
Japanese | トラネキサム酸, ヘムロン, ヘキサトロン, トランサミン, アンビトフ, ウグロール, シクロカプロン |
French | Acide trans-4-(aminométhyl)-cyclohexanecarboxylique, Acide tranéxamique |
Polish | Kwas traneksamowy |
Spanish | ácido tranexámico (producto), ácido tranexámico (sustancia), ácido tranexámico, AMCHA, Ácido Tranexámico |
German | AMCHA, Tranexamsäure |
Italian | Acido tranesamico |
Portuguese | AMCHA, Ácido Tranexâmico |
Ontology: Cyklokapron (C0591311)
Concepts | Pharmacologic Substance (T121) , Organic Chemical (T109) |
MSH | D014148 |
English | Pfizer Brand of Tranexamic Acid, cyklokapron, Cyklokapron |
Ontology: Lysteda (C2726313)
Concepts | Organic Chemical (T109) , Pharmacologic Substance (T121) |
English | Lysteda |