Academic OB/GYN

Tranexamic acid was recently approved by the FDA for treatment of fibroid related mennoraghia, under the trade name Lysteda.  Being ignorant of this drug, I wanted to do a  little research.  Being a blogger, I want to share this research.

Apparently, this drug has been available in Europe for quite a long time, and there is substantial evidence of its efficacy and safety for treatment of a wide variety of bleeding issues, both gynecologic and otherwise.  Tranexamic acid (Wiki, WA) is in class of drugs called antifibrinolytics.   It is related to the drug Amicar (ε-aminocaproic acid) which is used in the US most notably after dental procedures as a mouthwash in patients with bleeding disorders.  These drugs function by blockade of lysine binding sites on plasminogen, thus blocking degradation of plasminogen into plasmin (sort of an anti-tPA).  Through this mechanism it stabilizes clots and prevents clot breakdown, thus augmenting the clotting system and decreasing bleeding.

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