Tranexamic Acid (TA)

Tranexamic acid is a synthetic derivative of the amino acid lysine. It is an antifibrinolytic that competitively inhibits the activation of plasminogen to plasmin, by binding to specific sites of both plasminogen and plasmin, a molecule responsible for the degradation of fibrin, a protein that forms the framework of blood clots. Tranexamic acid has roughly eight times the antifibrinolytic activity of an older analogue, ε-aminocaproic acid. Tranexamic acid is frequently used in surgeries with high risk of blood loss such as cardiac, liver, vascular and large orthopedic procedures. Its oral form is now being evaluated for use in outpatient conditions involving heavy bleeding. Tranexamic acid has been found to decrease the risk of death in people who have significant bleeding due to trauma. However, it may actually increase the risk of death due to bleeding if administered more than 3 hours after the injury.