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Tranexamic Acid for the Hemostatic Treatment of Post-Partum Hemorrhage
Playlist
  • post-partum hemorrhage
  • tranexamic acid
Video Introduction

This video is adapted from 10.3390/jcm12196385

Post-partum bleeding or post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) is often defined as the loss of more than 500 mL of blood after vaginal delivery or 1000 mL of blood after cesarean section following the delivery of a child [1]. Post-partum hemorrhage (PPH) is a major clinical and social-economic issue which causes 27.1% of maternal deaths globally, varying from 13.4% in high-income countries to 34% in developed countries [1]. PPH can be further classified into primary PPH (within 24 h of birth) and secondary PPH (between 24 h and 6 weeks post-partum) [2]. The essential medical management of PPH is based on the administration of uterotonics such as oxytocin, carbetocin, and methergotamine; these drugs interfere with the contraction of smooth muscle of the uterus, thus reducing blood loss. However, in recent years, an antifibrinolytic agent named tranexamic acid (TXA) has been introduced as a hemostatic agent in the treatment of PPH [3]. Tranexamic acid (ΤΧA) is a potent antifibrinolytic agent which has been included in the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines since 2011; the drug can be administered intravenously and per os [4]. Tranexamic acid is a synthetic analog of the amino acid lysine. It serves as an antifibrinolytic by reversibly binding to lysine receptor sites on plasminogen, thus decreasing the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin, preventing fibrin degradation and preserving the structure of the fibrin matrix [4]. Tranexamic acid was synthesized in Japan in 1962 by Okamoto et al. [5]. Tranexamic acid (TXA), also named Cyclokapron, was initially used in gynecology in several European countries, starting in 1968, as a hemostatic drug in excessive menstrual bleeding and menstrual bleeding associated with intrauterine devices (IUDs) [6][7][8]

References
  1. Say, L.; Chou, D.; Gemmill, A.; Tuncalp, Ö.; Moller, A.B.; Daniels, J.; Gülmezoglu, A.M.; Temmerman, M.; Alkema, L. Global causes of maternal death: A WHO systematic analysis. Lancet Glob. Health 2014, 2, e323–e333.
  2. WHO Expert Committee. The selection and use of essential medicines (including the 17th WHO model list of essential medicines). WHO Tech. Rep. Ser. 2011, 2011, 1–249.
  3. Mavrides, E.; Allard, S.; Chandraharan, E.; Collins, P.; Green, L.; Hunt, B.J.; Riris, S.; Thomson, A.J.; on behalf of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Prevention and Management of Postpartum Haemorrhage: Green-top Guideline No. 52. BJOG 2017, 124, e106–e149.
  4. Mannucci, P.M. Hemostatic drugs. NEJM 1998, 339, 245–253.
  5. Okamoto, S.; Okamoto, U. Amino-methyl-cyclohexane-carboxylic acid: AMCHA. A new potent inhibitor of fibrinolysis. Keio J. Med. 1962, 11, 105–115.
  6. Vermylen, J.; Verhaegen-Declercq, M.L.; Fierens, F.; Verstraete, M. A double blind study of the effect of tranexamic acid in essential menorrhagia. Thromb. Haemost. 1968, 20, 583–587.
  7. Callender, S.T.; Warner, G.T.; Cope, E. Treatment of menorrhagia with tranexamic acid. A double-blind trial. Br. Med. J. 1970, 4, 214–216.
  8. Bengtsson, L.P.; Weström, L. Tranexamsyrabehandling av menorragi hos kvinnor med IU . Lakartidningen 1971, 68, 3685–3691.
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