Individualized Perioperative Antifibrinolytic Therapy: The Next Goal in Cardiac Surgery?

Antifibrinolytic therapy is a pharmacologic cornerstone of a multimodal blood conservation program in cardiac surgery with or without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).1 The administration of antifibrinolytic agents during CPB lowers both perioperative blood loss and requirements for transfusion of allogeneic blood products. It is a 1A recommendation for adult cardiac surgical procedures with CPB2-5 and a 1B recommendation for pediatric cardiac surgery.6 Since the withdrawal of aprotinin from the market in 2008 because of safety concerns,7,8 tranexamic acid (TXA) and Ɛ-aminocaproic acid (EACA) have become the 2 most extensively used antifibrinolytic agents.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research